Five years ago Kerry L. Marsala wrote a column about how students were taught to cave in to peer pressure:
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Just recently a young aspiring film student entered his high school's first film festival. He worked with his heart, and soul on writing, producing and directing his film. He received praise and accolades from his media teacher on his film and the vision he had. The film was based on four young military men lost from their platoon and fighting an enemy that had invaded our country. The ending of the film is especially touching, as a young man plays the bugle call, while being saluted by a fellow officer as the words of dedication to all who've served our country rolls past. The young actors, along with this student worked long hot hours in over 100 degree temperatures during the summer months. They endured mosquito bites, allergic reactions to the corn fields, sunburns, dehydration, cuts, bruises, sand embedded in their hair and eyes to produce a film that gave pause for reflection on our brave women and men in military service.
The week of the film festival (several months after the completion and acceptance of the film by his media teacher to be entered into the celebration of films) the students' film was pulled from the line up. Disbelief, hurt, and righteous indignation rose within not only the student who gave his all to make this film, but within the actors who helped with their sweat, time and blood. The students took their grievances to the media teacher, but all would be denied and the explanation given was weak.
Evidently, another teacher was asked to view and judge the films to be allowed in the festival. This teacher had a problem with the guns used by the actors portraying military men defending themselves. A counselor also stepped in and stated that the school rules apply to certain standards of things not allowed to be on or depicted on campus. Finally, the principle left the matter in the media teachers' hands to decide. The media teacher realizing their own job could be on the line, since this was their first year at the school, decided for their own 'job preservation' that the film could not be shown.
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One of the funny, but sad, things about this account is as the other films were shown the students counted eleven violations depicted.
This teacher buckled and the students were taught not to fight the system, to give in and don't make waves, and that peer pressure is more important than doing what is right. They were taught that standards don't apply uniformly. The students were taught to be passive and go with the flow.
With homeschooling we can teach our children to stand for what is right. Our daughters know that they won't always get what they want, but they will not be passive in life. I want my daughters to expect justice and work for justice.
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