A former student and now a friend sent Easter greetings...I have posted part of his greeting in the box...I will post other paragraphs tomorrow and later...
On another
note, I've noticed from the writing in your blog that you're in a much more
sad place, and that's completely expected having lost such a close friend,
but also with all the happenings in Kessab and in Ukraine. Obviously, having
a lot more time to think and reflect on those happenings would take a toll on
anybody, let alone on somebody like you who cares so much about helping
everybody possible. Obviously not having us students as everyday distractions
has given you more time to reflect. But, too much of anything will get bad,
at least in my experience. I'm sure you've heard sayings about not
overthinking something and it's true. Overthinking something can only bring
about negative effects.
|
Dear
Friend,
I
am not in a sad space. It is a transition as you mention…Transitions are full
of changes and as you write I will adapt to the new situation…No doubt about
it.
But
my transition is not the matter. Only when I left my teaching confined within four walls, I
realized the full force of the malice and mediocrity that administrators of
schools and their higher ups, the Boards, are full of…and I cannot get rid of the
image that students are victimized by the greed and petty calculations of the
school administrators.
Indeed,
all that matters to teachers, vice-principals, principals…and the rest is the
bottom line-wages and their retirement earnings…My wife quotes over and over again one of her VPs -"It's just a job,..., It's just a job."
Now
you will ask..."What about you…?"
Well,
I am not a saint too, but at times I think and my thinking reflects in my blog.
It is sad what is happening in Ukraine. It is depressing what is happening in
Syria (Kessab). It is indeed disorienting, at least for me, that my close
friend passed to heaven so unexpectedly and so tragically…I never could have
imagined that he will pass to eternity by a bus accident…
All
these events are indeed very thought provoking. And the crux of the problem is
that human beings are being sacrificed just for the greed and profit of few.
The wars have absolutely nothing to do with the aspirations of Ukrainians, or
Syrians or Armenians…The wars are waged solely for the profit of the multinational
companies and the governments are just the executive bodies of these multinationals...
The
sad thing is that the governments victimize citizens for the profit and greed
of the few… The disheartening situation is that school administrators scapegoat
students for their benefit and wellbeing and prestige… The victims – students and
Ukrainians, Syrians, Armenians and the rest - are thought provoking….You emphasize that too much thinking is hazardous to any individual…But that has been my case ALL
along…and I agree with you, at times I have been the victim in the web…
I
have always defended the victims…and that did not sit well with the “power
elite”…whoever they may be…For me students are much more precious than the few
taps on my back by fellow teachers or administrators…and I am sure the
Christian teachings will approve my vision. For me the citizens are much more important
and valuable than their governors…The farce is that they are elected by the
people. But, the moments they are elected a shift happens and they are detached
from the people. Principals and administrators profess upholding education and
educating the kids…but if anything will rock their boat (career) they will
without any qualms victimize the student(s)…
It happened after I left the "four walls"...I will not divulge in any details...It is boring. But may be will talk about it someday...with a glass of wine. And then, apparently some students are in the habit of ratting...what they read here...
But again, the ratting students are the victims...The administrators are encouraging them to do that...otherwise why should they..? The administrators do not realize that "ratting" is not educating...What a charade of absurdity...!
I
do not want to be a part of their system…and I cannot have a system of my own…I
have to adapt to my new reality and be true to myself and try to help others…SURVIVE...the crushing reality...
Thank
you for your thought provoking Easter greetings…I will continue my contemplation
and dialogue with you…tomorrow and the day after and…
Take
care and keep in touch. H.K.
April,21,2014
P.S.
Read the following news clip...and the words are not mine. but from CNN...
Read and attempt to forget...and try harder and dismiss it...
Read and do not realize that governments and people negotiate and talk to these "rebels"...
Abuja, Nigeria (CNN) -- The heavily armed militants stormed the girl's dormitory in the middle of the night, herding more than 100 students on to vehicles and burning down nearby buildings as they made their escape.
No one knows where they are. And surprising still, no one's particularly shocked.
P.S.
Read the following news clip...and the words are not mine. but from CNN...
Read and attempt to forget...and try harder and dismiss it...
Read and do not realize that governments and people negotiate and talk to these "rebels"...
Abuja, Nigeria (CNN) -- The heavily armed militants stormed the girl's dormitory in the middle of the night, herding more than 100 students on to vehicles and burning down nearby buildings as they made their escape.
That was a week ago Monday.
Of the 129 students abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School from the Nigerian town of Chibok, 77 are still missing.
No one knows where they are. And surprising still, no one's particularly shocked.
No comments:
Post a Comment