Don’t Panic! Educate!

Do not panic, educate.

This is good general advice for every time, even this time when there seems good reason to panic just given the news in our social media feeds. My school parents fear with justification for their children, but this fear can harm the perfect love that should govern their lives as parents and teachers.

There is a long history of moral panics: unjustified worry that some particular technology or activity is going to destroy culture. A classic example is the Salem Witch Trials in colonial New England, particularly noxious since people were hanged for an illusion. Older people have been complaining about the morals and education of younger people since at least the time of Socrates. Usually to quote an American pop song “the kids are ok.”

Panic is action detached from reason.

Yet let me suggest to Christian educators that often societies survive, muddle through real problems, because people act without panic. Reason suggests that new technology or methods can be adopted with care or carelessly. Reason can measure the risk and suggest appropriate risk reducing measures. Courageous acts of loving educators can weaken the moral contagion and so avoid the problem.

The very first day of our School the teacher took a kindergarten class out to play. Thanks to generous donors they went out to a playground with a climbing tree, tree house, and many balls and other sports equipment. They stood in a circle around one ball, staring, finally asking the teacher to tell them what to do. When she would not do so, they grew upset and finally asked to go inside.

They had never learned to play independently. Our teachers did not panic, but formed a rational plan to teach them to play. If the teacher guided the the process, the students would not learn. If you visited that class four years later, you would see children who run out the door at recess and play. The invent games based on what they are learning. . .and while our parents and teachers were startled by their inventing a game based on the French Revolution, they are flourishing imaginatively.

However, the very success of courageous, reasonable educators in heading off problems can create cultural complacency. All very difficult challenges are dismissed as moral panic and hard decisions put off.

As we look at challenges, we can look to God and see a new perspective. The challenge comes with a blessing if we keep calm and educate on.