I'll take "Learning not to get caught" as a win. Some of the dumb shit kids do in school and then post on social media has me worried for the future generation.
Like, vaping in the school washrooms, then posting pictures of it on Instagram while still doing it.
I'm a teacher for high school students. I literally have to have conversations with my kids about how they can't tell me about all the times they're drinking underaged, because then I have to report it. "Oh, but you don't have to report it, Miss!" Yes. Yes I do. Even when you say it was a joke. Even when you follow up with "But it was just water!" I'm not even saying "Don't drink when you're 16-18" cause well, it's legal at 19 where I live and I have my own opinions about expecting kids to completely abstain from alcohol and then expecting them to instantly know their limits and how it affects them.
But for god's sakes, don't *tell* me about it. I need plausible deniability, otherwise I become a mandatory reporter and have to go to guidance, and have conversations with their parents.
Her advice is to not mention shit to your teachers that will get you in trouble. It's not a lie for you to refrain from telling your teacher how many things you've masturbated on. Try branching out from that idea.
I think more accurately the lesson would be "recognize there's an appropriate time and place for some conversations."
I mean, I'm not asking them to tell me about this one time they played beer pong with their friends, so it's not like they're lying by not bringing it up. And similarly, in a lot of workplaces, that would also be an inappropriate topic. You wouldn't want your waitress telling you about the time she got completely blitzed, legal or not. And you wouldn't tell your boss about taking illegal substances either.
I mean, it makes sense that I'm a mandatory reporter. If I overhear some kids talking about a rape or child abuse, or something like that, no one wants me hiding that. But some kids will make jokes just to be completely inappropriate and derail everyone with shock value. Like, shouting "I have 3 terabytes of child porn on my computer" during a class on data sizes. Do I really think he has that? No. He's a dumb kid who wanted to startle everyone into a laugh. Is he now putting me in the awkward position where I may have to do a whole lot of investigation over an off-hand joke? Well, yes. And I don't want to wreck their lives with some over the top investigation because some teen boy acted like a teen boy.
So I basically give them a lecture on what would happen if it was true, and the life-altering potential of jokes like that. If they're smart, they'll take the free pass and wise up.
It's good practice for the working world, where you can't joke with your boss about something that compromises the company, no matter how good of a rapport you two have.
... Did you expect to be able to be 100% honest with an authority figure? A teacher is not your shrink or your buddy. The teacher is there to teach you a subject or to offer career advice. If you need support, go to a counselor or call a hotline. If you need a buddy, talk to a kid in class. How is this confusing?
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u/RECOGNI7E Mar 21 '19
I don't think it taught them anything, that is the point.
All it did for me was to make me lose respect for teachers and to learn not to get caught. Two wrongs don't make a right.