School failure’s lasting effects may turn out positive
I haven’t finished reading the Sept. 9 paper yet, but I felt compelled to write a response to one of the columns in the Opinion section — Jack Rightmyer’s, titled, “Failure can stay with student and teacher for life.” When I read the title, I thought: “Yes, failure can stay with someone, no doubt.” I went on to read the column, and as I neared the end I sat up straighter in my chair as I read the subtitle, “Right was Wrong.” Rightmyer wrote: “What purpose did it serve to fail her?” Was it some power thing?” At that point, I put the paper down and thought about the words he wrote. I jumped up from my chair, and here I sit in front of my computer in response. First, I think it is not “wrong” to fail, even in this case. As the column states, Rightmyer gave additional opportunity to the student for extra help in the subject matter. The fact that she was a “nervous, shy kid” is a factor, but nonetheless she was given ample opportunity to get the help she needed. I applaud Mr. Rightmyer for maintaining the failing grade. It is my opinion that many students today are allowed to glide through when they should be failed, due to the feeling that failure is a permanent scarring on the emotional well-being of the child. Not everyone succeeds in the real world, and I believe that should be learned from an early age. In that way, young people learn how to pick themselves up, brush themselves off and start anew. They learn how to become resilient. Yes, it’s hard, but anything worth doing is usually hard to do. I think we’ve forgotten that in this society. I realize I’m probably in the minority with these thoughts about failure, but I think it’s about time all of us looked around to see what’s happening. I see folks on a daily basis who feel someone owes them something just because they’re breathing. I see people buying things they can ill afford because they feel they “deserve” it, and they have some subprime lender offering them the loans to buy whatever it might be. Are you asking what this has to do with failing? If someone understands that it takes hard work and effort to succeed, maybe there will be fewer of these folks who feel they’re “entitled” to things because they want them. Just say no shouldn’t be the mantra for drug use — say it when it’s necessary for everything. I don’t think we say it enough, for fear that someone will feel slighted, unworthy or a failure. Let’s go back and think about “Kris.” She may, as Rightmyer wrote, still be “living in that little New Hampshire town” and that may be fine. She may be happy as a clam. However, she may not be living in that town, she may have gone to summer school, struggled through, gotten her diploma, decided she needed something more and moved away. Perhaps she went to a community college and went on from there to become a teacher, like Mr. Rightmyer, knowing that hard decisions must be made, for a reason, for the good of all concerned. Whatever happened to “Kris,” I think Mr. Rightmyer made the only ethical and principled decision that could have been made, given the circumstances. I only wish there were more teachers around like him. SUZANNE CANELL Ballston Spa
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