Well... whatever you say, try to avoid hyperbole.

Good one.

I just found the required book, etc. list for my Jane Austen class for the fall. I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Todd, you are absolutely right. There was terrible pressure, from what I understand, to pass that guy. But that seems even worse. His habits weren't secret, yet none of the teachers were willing to declare the emperor bare.

In a way their lack of integrity...and active discounting of my own (Don't cause trouble!)...was way more disillusioning than his.

Well... whatever you say, try to avoid hyperbole.

Good one.

I mean, I'm no fan of the guy in any way, and I'm not sure I'd be able to say anything at all to him, were I given the chance. But we do ourselves no favors to fall prey to sloppy thinking, just because it's easier. That's exactly what we're talking about.

It's kinda like the Force....

Ugh. I need a sad-nap now. Maybe I'll wake up less demoralized. Sorry for hijacking the discussion. It's just been very high in my mind lately.

eta:

But we do ourselves no favors to fall prey to sloppy thinking, just because it's easier.

Total agreement! Coming off as a raving lunatic advances the cause for morality and sane thinking not at all...but NOT saying something seems equally undesirable to me.

Bonny, I would think it depends on whether his misdeeds were sonething under their purview. One of my brothers was totally a dick to girls in high school, and a huge pothead and got several DUIs--on the other hand, he was impeccable in academic terms. I don't think they could have done anything for behavior he engaged in off school property.

He grew up to be a lovely man, I am happy to say.

I'm so jealous of that class, vw. Please share the book list.

Jilli, I just saw the cutest black and white striped blazer at Tablots. The sleeves were way too long on me, even in petite, but you might like it.

I bought a very cutest dress for the shower at Black and white. I'll try to link to it later. Now al I need is a shiny red belt and a black shrug.

One of my brothers was totally a dick to girls in high school, and a huge pothead and got several DUIs--on the other hand, he was impeccable in academic terms. I don't think they could have done anything for behavior he engaged in off school property.

He grew up to be a lovely man, I am happy to say.

And as important as I find things like character and ethics, I also think that some people learn why it's not okay to do certain things by doing them. And I think that's a valid method of learning. I know I've learned a few lessons that way.

Long is the way, and hard, that leads up out of darkness, into light.

He grew up to be a lovely man, I am happy to say.

This gives me hope for the faux-son.

The high school guy's 'infractions' were mostly academic. His not caring about anybody else's feelings and being a jerk to girls was by no means unique to him...but wholesale plagiarism, intimidating other kids into doing his work and fostering racial unrest using school property were certainly within their purvue, if not their interests.

Brief background...the thing that effected me directly was an article he slipped into the newspaper I edited after deadline that included a mind-boggling slur against the dominant 'minority' in the school. My name was at the top of the masthead, his name was not on the article. When questioned about it he said I must have written it...the girl gang with knives and chains came after me.

Thank god one of the gang members went to my bus stop since we were very young. I threw myself on her mercy and got away with minor injuries. Were it NOT for that connection, things would have turned out very badly.

I just bid on ebay on an $125 book for one of my classes. Current bid is $5.99. Here's to hoping it doesn't go much higher!