The desks were all arranged facing different directions for the big test. The teacher gave us a pice of paper and the instructions "Put your name at the top. Then spell out the two words. Don't look on anyone else's paper. Keep you eyes on your own work and sit still at the desk when you finish."
I was very excited. I had studied hard for this test and just knew I would get a 100. The teacher gave us the sign to begin and justlikethat! I had my words written out confident that they were right. The rest of the class was still working. I fidgeted full of excitement. I was trying to sit still but busting at the seems. I looked around to see if anyone else was through.
Out of nowhere, Mrs. Gore descended on me, scolding. "Mr. Klumpp. I told you about cheating. No looking on other papers. YOU get a zero!" She scrawled a big red zero across my paper. "Have this signed by your parents."
"But Mrs. Gore, I wasn't looking on anyone's paper. I was through." She had no part of my explanation. It wasn't fare. When I tried to tell my parents the truth, they only remarked how disappointed they were with me for cheating. Nothing I said mattered.
In fact, the lesson for a five year old in military school was - the truth doesn't matter. There is only law and discipline, not justice. Those in authority don't care about the truth, justice or the rights of individuals. Of course, for the five year old it is less articulated and more intuitively learned. But 80 to 90 percent of personality is formed between 2 and 6 years of age.
"With my contempt for authority, it's no wonder I have become one." Albert Einstein
Had I been your first grade teacher...I'd have noticed that you were through with your test...caught the excitement in your wiggles & the twinkle in your eye...given you a GREAT BIG HUG for being so prepared...and a BIG blue smiley face on your paper! Do you think it would've changed your future???
ReplyDeleteI always knew you were a cheat end I suspected you of being an authoritarian. - drgeez
ReplyDeletei hate all the versicose verification crap on this blog site. whatever happened to the good ol' days of just throwing spitwads?
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's the majority of our habits that are formed between years two through six. What's the purpose of the extra time if not for change?
ReplyDeletesorry 'bout your bad luck. were the uniforms cool?
ReplyDeletelol - the uniforms were way cool and we got to carry guns to help us demonstrate our contempt for authority - my point is not to complain about Ms. Gore - but there are annoying little kids all over who are actually dealing with unique abilities which we dumb down with drugs in order to demand conformity - we are shaping them the wrong way and losing the benefit of their quirky behavior - why wouldn't i cheat, Mr gorilla - not cheating didn't work - no justice there - cheating is good if you cheat for a good cause - Ms Karen - if you had been my teacher, my contempt and mistrust for authority would have been replaced with a false sense of security thinking government was the cure for our ills and discomforts - in short, i'ld be a liberal democrat - SAS - good point - we do have plenty of time don't we
ReplyDelete