[etni] Fw: Honesty is the best policy vs. brutal honesty

From: "Ask Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: "Etni" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:25:08 +0200
----- Original Message ----- 
From: sbshai - sbshai@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Honesty is the best policy vs. brutal honesty


Dear ETNI readers,
As implied in my previous message (and as I have said directly several 
times), there are MANY teachers who feel it is unconscionable for us to 
follow any directives that compromise honesty; otherwise, we might as well 
condone plagiarism on the projects and save ourselves the trouble of reading 
every word (not just the highlighted sections!) of every source included 
with the reports.

I have no wish to enter the current controversy about honesty on ETNI, but I 
would like my colleagues to consider this question: Isn't it also immoderate 
to fling accusations at each other on a public forum?  If one's sense of 
righteousness is offended by what someone else has said, wouldn't it be more 
appropriate to first contact that person via his/her private e-mail?
As for the need to publicly express one's intolerance for whatever was 
written, isn't it important to find a gracious way to extend the benefit of 
the doubt -- even if the perceived fault is considered unforgivable?  It can 
be so easy to talk down to each other, but if we are truly in the right, it 
will be clear enough to all.

That said, isn't it possible that the recent suggestion not to penalize 
students whose teachers followed Irgun sanctions against projects (however 
misguided), was actually a frank attempt to deal with this difficult 
situation?
If this was viewed as unacceptable, then the idea -- not the person -- could 
have been attacked.

Indeed, we are all Ministry employees, and most of us try to faithfully 
follow the MOE's dictates, but that does not mean that we do not have the 
right to turn to our unions for protection when we find some of those 
commands to be untenable.
Moreover, for the sake of our students, we must keep the lines of 
communication open if we want to bridge the gaps between us .

In fact, as it became clear during the recent HOTS debate, one of the 
greatest teacher grievances was that the Inspectorate did not seem to be 
willing to consider valid concerns and/or objections about the program from 
the teachers in the field.

So if we can learn the importance of striving for mutual respect for 
differing opinions, we will all truly have "come of age"!

Affably,
Batya


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[etni] Fw: Honesty is the best policy vs. brutal honesty

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