Tradition Expelled

The students all filled in the rows of the grand auditorium. By beauty standards, the architecture looked immense, engaging, and pleasant. Principal Claudette Cedar looked severe as she looked out over students and staff.

“We have an issue,” she began. “It is an issue that strikes at the very core of this curriculum. We must analyze it, weed it out, and uproot it before it spreads. That issue, that problem is mediocracy. It must not stand. It had no place in our system and we must do everything to see that it is removed.”

The faces of the students looked indifferent. The teachers and other staff members held a projection of ambivalence. Their torn expressions looked like they couldn’t bear to hear their boss bore into their souls once more.

“I’m serious,” Claudette continued. “If we are to produce individual students with selfish attitudes, let this be the beacon on the hill that supports that notion. Let this be the institution that says we will train our young people with the same vigor and expediency as a phone, car, or home might be created.”

An influx of teachers began to squirm. They didn’t want to hear this. Felix Seehorn definitely wasn’t having it. He didn’t show his face, though. He just folded his arms. Slightly, he shook his head.

Claudette had been in this role for six months now. Ella Kincaid felt a similar sense of being torn like most of her colleagues. She felt that what Claudette had said already in faculty meetings had sufficed. That her agenda with making these students open to the ideals of reason, individualism, and capitalism could be spray painted on the walls of an inner city train in Wilmington, Delaware.

Instead, she listened intently, too. She parsed through the parts she found to be self-serving, even malicious. Somehow, though, she still respected her boss for the fact she had upped the grade of administration a few more points.

The last principal, Overend Bowles, had wanted his students to have self-esteem—that sufficed. He said that all the children needed to just think of themselves highly; no reason or purpose would be required. “They’d figured it out,” he had said. How? What way? Somehow, someway, He held onto to his position until he was booted out over letting a ballplayer come in and speak on Jesus during an assembly. Parents found themselves up in arms. They wanted him tossed as soon as possible. Bowles was pushed to the side to make room for Claudette.

She brought with her reason and self-esteem. Her smile sparkled.

“I know this transition may have shocked a lot of you. I know that many of you didn’t want to see my predecessor leave. Well, I’ve come to bear the record that the only way for this school to prosper is to have students prepared not just for some job but for every aspect of their lives. It is important, of extreme importance, that each student finds his or her purpose. That purpose will include the career that brings them joy. But it’s also their lives surrounding finding someone to love and in developing those skills that will lead them there. I’m not talking about home economics or sexual health classes. I’m saying that we set up everyone that will be graduating in four years as well as the upperclassman to achieve whole and integrated lives.”

Seehorn glanced at Ella. With their knowing smiles, they expressed their ambivalence. In one frown, Felix could communicate the power and persuasiveness of Claudette’s address. Still, when Seehorn smiled, she got across that she wasn’t going to let Claudette wear down her soul. She refused to be relegated to the sea of other teachers who had been chopped down for not following protocol. Claudette continued.

“It is my honor to be the principal here at this preparatory school.