Yea for education. Nay for misrepresentation.
Several ways to teach exist, and the components that make a good teacher differ for every person. Although we might not be aware of it, a form of lying, no matter how small, may exist in any classroom. Our classroom came to the conclusion that lying is a matter of degree and intention. As shown in “The History Teacher” by Billy Collins, the history teacher’s intentions are not portrayed as bad, but the degree to which he lies, as the whole class agrees, is too far from the truth.
Yea for truth. Nay for versions of truth.
I came to wonder when this “degree” of lying comes to be too much. Many people have different ways to interpret the truth. They may consider the things they teach the absolute and only truth. It can be well argued that a teacher should not give a strong opinions about controversial issues, but let the student form an opinion. I also considered the effect of intention in a classroom. I questioned the intention teachers have when teaching. To care for students is seen as a good intention, and to have a goal to sabotage students’ grades is seen as a bad intention. However, the real reason why teachers become teachers comes down to the fact that it earns them money. Some teachers are seen as better than others, and it makes me wonder what the intention of those teachers are. Is it the drive for money, the true care for students, or a blend of both? I would expect that it would be the latter. If one teacher has better intentions than the other when lying, does it make that teacher more qualified to lie? I feel that both would still be equally lying. One can never truly know another’s intention, and that shouldn’t determine how one can act poorly depending on it.
It is really interesting to think about the intention of a teacher. I like your use of Yea and Nay in the first sentence of the paragraphs. Also, I really loved the way you concluded and reasoned the argument of another's intention. I think that most teachers do pursue their job because they like to take care for students. Also, I think that the way of teaching or approaching the student with complete truth can reduce the "degree" of lying. And as you said, I agree that teachers are not lying but instead helping students form their opinions.
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