Education with Consequences
We were standing in front of a tourist attraction on a windy February morning, holding signs that we could only hold in a country where the right to free speech is a given.

We are grateful for it.

Every few minutes, a series of school buses pulled up to the curb and disgorged middle school children on the sidewalk by our signs. While we speak clearly and our signs represent actual factual information, we do not target children with our literature.

We do offer it, however, if someone shows an interest.

Most educators use the encounter with the signs between the bus and the front door as an educational moment. “Look if you want,” they tell the children. “Record your responses in your notebook.” “These people are practicing free speech,” they say, “you’ll see similar material inside the building.” Some kids take interest. Most just trot alongside their besties, eager to get inside where it’s warm.

Other teachers offer a different kind of education to the children watching them. For all they have to be called to attention, the kids are watching their teachers.

“They have no right!” shouted one instructor, snatching brochures from the children’s hands, shredding them and dumping the paper remains on the ground. Lesson to children: Scream when you disagree. Destroy offending material. Litter. Make a scene.

Another teacher snatched the brochure from the woman passing them out and holding it above his head, flicked it at her while refuting her in loud, agitated tones. Lesson to children: Disrespecting peoples’ ideas in a loud voice and throwing things when you disagree is fine. If you happen to hit the offender with what you throw, no matter.

The woman passing out the materials was not hurt when the brochure hit her.

I wonder what will happen in his classroom when his students follow his example.

While the children under the tutelage of the first two instructors may learn to process and consider ideas calmly even if they disagree, the classrooms of the latter two teachers will likely include similarly uncontrolled demonstrations of dissatisfaction.

These educators taught us a lesson that day: The children are watching. Think carefully about what you’re teaching them, as you will be on the receiving end of it soon.
['Icon Lady']
['Bad Example', 'Self Control', 'Consequences', 'Education', 'Free Speech']