LET THE RIGHT BE WRONG

“Wait a minute!” I said contesting a seemingly wrong phrase. No one’s perfect after all – it could be the composer’s mistake or the one interpreting the song. So I listened to the lyrics repeatedly to get the whole picture. Then I understood how these adjectives are reversely used.

   

Non-western like me grew up hearing the other way around. Instead “let the wrong be right” addressing every evil deed obvious in the naked eyes. But there are actually so many right things needed to be treated wrong. And these are epidemics one society thinks normal.

Then I can cite as many examples possible. But I am afraid couldn’t count them with my ten fingers and ten toes alone. They are too many to mention if truth to be told. Cheating for instance, oh, now I’m saying it.

As an educator, I haven’t seen a culture where cheating is so much acceptable and tolerable. It’s only in this workplace of mine. I’m only talking about cheating in exams, quizzes, homework, and the like. They have deeper issue of course or deeper level to be exact. And who am I to name them one by one.

Honestly, they’re difficult people to deal with taking this issue in hand. Again I’m only talking about mentality – still they are one of the sweetest, friendliest, and kindest groups of people I have known.

For years I tried addressing the issue among my students. There may be times I was so impatient and have embarrassed them a lot, but I regretted for doing so. Then I tried to be creative dealing this problem - it worked for me, but not for them.

I thought have proved myself the best solution – I have, but only in my own classroom. Once a habit, it’s always a habit. I hope one day they’ll realize the importance of honesty. I earnestly hope!

I tried to encourage them in many instances and opportunities. They had constant admonition and hadn’t lack reminders. When they come the next day, it’s the same. Thought it would be a new day – sad to say it wasn’t.

Have fought a lot in nice and gentle manners making this right wrong, but they still don’t understand my intention, and so I don’t understand theirs. Where cheating is a norm; where wrong is treated right, all my finite being could do is to keep wondering, endlessly.

But why cheat when there are other good ways?

Why cheat when there are good options?

That’s when I understand that shame is more important than integrity or honor. It took me years to comprehend all. In simple and complex scenarios, they rather trade their honor or integrity than caught shameful. Isn’t it funny?

Since then, I stopped embarrassing my students even if they were caught cheating. But I lay all the consequences on the table before they take any assessment tests such as: papers would be marked zero (instead of tearing them apart in front of the class); they would fail the term automatically, and many more.

I give warnings every now and then speaking to the whole class – not one in particular. I still reserve my kindness instead of anger. I don’t know how effective it would be, but proving something a little like this is already a BIG start.

This is all I wanted to prove without condemnation. Hope one day they would grasp this totally. Someday when they’re all ready enough to change a habit, a bad habit, then it all makes sense – let the right be wrong.