1973 - when I started asking questions, like, "Why are we all dressed so funny?"

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Here's to the Misfits

No, not the band, but those who have a bond or kinship with Flannery O'Connor's antagonist in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Yeah, that Misfit. I love his self-description:

“Nome, I ain't a good man,” The Misfit said, “but I ain't the worst in the world neither. My daddy said I was a different breed of dog from my brothers and sisters. 'You know,' Daddy said, 'it's some that can live their whole life without asking about it, and it's others has to know why it is, and this boy is one of the latters. He's going to be into everything!'”
After some recent events I've thought about the "it" that seems like an obstacle for me professionally. I think what gets me in trouble every time is that I'm not a partisan or true believer or company man -- whatever moniker one would place on those who line up and salute the dominant position or point of view.

Here's an obvious truth you'll never hear in a school of education or from a school district official or teacher's union rep: When someone says, "This is good for kids, so we should do it," he or she really means: This is good for kids based upon what I/we think is good for kids, so you better get in line with me/us -- or else!