Posts Tagged ‘mocking’
Bad Behavior on Display: The Republican Debates
According to Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney does not care about the ‘very poor’
Mitt Romney mockingly congratulated Newt Gingrich on the 15th anniversary of his censure for ethics violations
And on it goes. Ron Paul has even produced campaign ads that have been banned. These ads, like the statements above, are not lies. And admittedly, the stakes are high—presidential nomination of the republican party.
So is it ok to “play” in ways that state legislature is trying to ban in the schoolyards??
Mockery, out-of-context implications, cruel ‘asides’, and attempts to intimidate are all fair tactics we have no qualms about modeling for our children.
Perhaps they are ok for children to mimick since what is at stake for them is of even greater consequence to their daily well-being than any campaign is to the well-being of the candidates.
Be clear, outside the context of the campaign, we would call this behavior ‘bullying’
We all have done or said things that we might be held accountable for—just as Newt might be held accountable for the fact of his ethics violations censure or the fact of his numerous marriages, or Mitt for the facts surrounding his business decisions while running Bain capital, but can’t these facts speak for themselves?
Perhaps not.
Start the discussion with a concrete example that has been publicly censured: What about Ron Paul’s ads are not factual? What (if anything) about them is wrong?
Over the weekend, the mean girls re-write lyrics to songs—instead of “if you like it put a ring on it” there is “you’re a loser put a bag on it” or “It’s a quarter after one, you’re all alone, no-one needs you now. Said you were so dumb , ugly an no-fun, no one needs you now” or (to “Bad Romance”) “you are so ugly / you are a disease. The boys don’t even want what you’re givin’ for free. No one wants your Love / Ew, yuck , ew / you’re such a joke”
Every week “Amanda” was a bigger LLLLLLoser.
When Muse sang “black holes and revelations” it was about her ‘pathetic hopes and expectations’ or ‘Far away / you can’t be far enough away / far away from the people who don’t care if you live or die’
(And these are the lyrics which don’t need to be communicated by *&%$#@]?).
By lunch time, everyone is singing along. It’s hysterical― Everyone thinks it’s funny.
Funny. HaHa. Joke. Right? –can’t she take a little joke?
How to respond?
One suggestion is to assign re-writing song lyrics―with the caveat that they must highlight strengths. Another is to institute a minute before each class when one student is called on, given the name of another student, about whom s/he must say something positive. The penalty for “nothing” will cut the culprit off from her/his social network for a period of time.
What are some other responses that might speak to the issues raised―not the least of which is control of an environment conducive to learning?