Is this man the most dangerous in the world?

I spent most of my adult life in schools and in classrooms in many countries and was very pleased to see that almost without exception my colleagues’ first priority was for the welfare and well-being and education of their students.

I am sure that is still true everywhere in the world today.

Sadly, in several countries, most notably the USA, the welfare of students has become little more than a political shooting match – if I may be blunt, callous and perhaps unfeeling.

In the USA the NRA seems to have powers – and funds – that transcend decency. And it seems that a significant percentage of these funds have been devoted to ensure their “inalienable right to bear arms” continues to ensure that deranged creatures can buy weapons with ease and use them at concerts or shopping malls … or at schools.

Today’s BBC News reports state that:

• US President Donald Trump has said that arming teachers could prevent school shootings like that which left seventeen people dead last week in Florida. A staff member with a gun could end an attack “very quickly”, he said.

So lesson preparation in future will perhaps be something like this:

• Have I finished grading the students’ essays?
• Have I carefully prepared the next lesson with appropriate teaching materials and exercises and activities for the students, taking into consideration their different levels of ability, interest and personalities?
• Are my student assessments up to date?
• Have I met my co-curricular demands this week?
• Do I have my laptop fully charged?
• Do I have whiteboard markers, projectors organised?
• Is my Colt 38 fully loaded?

Mr Trump has repeatedly been pleased to make derogatory comments about other world leaders – those in North Korea and Russia in particular – but can there be any doubt that this man is the most dangerous person in the world when he wants classroom teachers to drop their chalk or their laptops, pick up their weapons and slay any intruders?

I wonder how they will teach those essential skills at teachers’ colleges or at university?

• I am sorry Mr Hall. You have achieved exemplary grades in classroom discipline, in teaching methodology, in knowledge of your subjects … but you have failed three times to kill an imaginary intruder to your classroom. We cannot allow you, therefore, to graduate as a schoolmaster, but recommend that you find a good baseball bat and seek some sort of temporary work as a gas pump attendant.

And I apologise whole-heartedly to those who DO face danger on a daily basis at service stations, take-away curry places, 7-11s … and neighbourhood gun shops.

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Observation February 2018

Text  © Christopher Hall 2018

Photo of Donald Trump from Internet

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If a man ascended into heaven and gazed upon the whole workings of the universe and the beauty of the stars, the marvellous sight would give him no joy if he had to keep it to himself. And yet, if only there had been someone to describe the spectacle to, it would have filled him with delight.

Attributed to Marcus Tullius Cicero – On Friendship