A few years ago, I found myself chatting with a soon to retire administrator at my daughter's school. I was expressing my frustration over scheduling conflicts for an important parent meeting we were hosting. As we walked to find an unoccupied classroom, the administrator attempted to console me by saying "you have to remember, it's just a public school".
One of Google's definitions for "just" is: "merely: and nothing more; "I was merely asking"; "it is simply a matter of time"; "just a scratch"; "he was only a child"; "hopes that last but a ...".
Using the first of the examples, that administrator was attempting to make me feel better by telling me that this was merely a public school and nothing more. Thus, in essence, stating that my expectations needed to be lowered because I had forgotten that public schools have to be accepted for what they are, and nothing more.
Asking me to accept a bad situation because it cant' be changed begs the question of accepting givens. If I accept what someone else tells me is a given, I choose not to vest myself in fixing the problem. If I accept someone else's report that "everything is fine", I am simply saying "I trust your judgment and/or I don't have the time or ability to check things out myself".
Let me pause for a moment and state unequivocally that this is not a treatise on the merits of micro management or promoting a strong lack of trust in others abilities or their intentions. I don't have time to do all of the tasks assigned to others, nor do I believe that this is ever healthy for organizations. That being said, I am much more interested in the concept of acceptance of bad situations, or as I like to put it, "the immutable nature of mediocrity".
Accepting Public Schools as being "just public schools", pays homage to their inability to change. If I don't challenge the position of a retiring administrator who has come to accept the immutable nature of Public Schools, I deserve all that comes with the sorry state of public education. And accept that my children will be provided with a mediocre education.
The next time someone uses the word JUST as a modifier, or asks you to accept the situation as a given and just, well.... immutable, you have a choice: Accept, or challenge and change.
Using the first of the examples, that administrator was attempting to make me feel better by telling me that this was merely a public school and nothing more. Thus, in essence, stating that my expectations needed to be lowered because I had forgotten that public schools have to be accepted for what they are, and nothing more.
Asking me to accept a bad situation because it cant' be changed begs the question of accepting givens. If I accept what someone else tells me is a given, I choose not to vest myself in fixing the problem. If I accept someone else's report that "everything is fine", I am simply saying "I trust your judgment and/or I don't have the time or ability to check things out myself".
Let me pause for a moment and state unequivocally that this is not a treatise on the merits of micro management or promoting a strong lack of trust in others abilities or their intentions. I don't have time to do all of the tasks assigned to others, nor do I believe that this is ever healthy for organizations. That being said, I am much more interested in the concept of acceptance of bad situations, or as I like to put it, "the immutable nature of mediocrity".
Accepting Public Schools as being "just public schools", pays homage to their inability to change. If I don't challenge the position of a retiring administrator who has come to accept the immutable nature of Public Schools, I deserve all that comes with the sorry state of public education. And accept that my children will be provided with a mediocre education.
The next time someone uses the word JUST as a modifier, or asks you to accept the situation as a given and just, well.... immutable, you have a choice: Accept, or challenge and change.
(Originally published February 27, 2008 at Kennheller@blogspot.com)
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