Today, I faced a disheartening frustration. Due to staggering incompetence on part of one of my classes, we students were inadvertently (I hope) placed into an unethical position, where in order to complete an assignment, we had to write false things - that is, we were forced to lie, for a grade. Worse, the nature of this lie is to validate that they had done their jobs well, which is blatantly and inarguably false. On discussing with classmates, this perspective proved unanimous - it wasnt due to any uniqueness in my approach. As a result, I made a call to action in the open forums (specifically for students to speak about anything they please) that if anyone agreed with me, to approach the Student Union to protest the unethical assignment, as is our right and responsibility. My post was subsequently deleted, I was advised to speak to the program director as soon as possible, and I was banned from ALL of the class forums, even those designed to discuss preparations for the final. In trying to do the right thing, I was silenced and punished. This isnt about me. I did the reflection, I lied on the assignment, I complied, I did as I was supposed to. Now that my part is done, Im trying to make this tiny corner of the world a better place - and the response of people who are supposed to be teaching us ethical behavior is to suppress and silence objections. Worse, when I discussed it with my mother, I was advised that its my place in society to shut up and comply, because thats all Im allowed to do, and the world will push back until I meekly accept that fact. To hell with that. This world needs people who will fight back. How many of my classmates complained about the appalling levels of incompetence in this class, about the disgustingly unethical requirements of this paper, and yet did as my mother suggested I do? How long will this be allowed to continue, because no one thinks we can fight back? Maybe itll hurt me, but I cant just sit back and watch. I cant let this go unchallenged. As much as the process will hurt me, taking time and resources I honestly cant spare, I feel that I have a moral obligation to at least try. Maybe Im a fool. But thats okay, because thats who I am.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 02:41:07 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015