So many things happen each day and many times the details of an event are insignificant, but still therein lies a lesson that needs attention.
A few weeks ago I went on a school trip with my eleven year old daughter. I was one of two cabin leaders in our cabin with 16, sixth grade girls. It was about 100 degrees and we were in a wonderful old structure that smelled of pine, camp fires and nature. The girls were told that during their 2 night, 3 day stay they would be involved in a series of competitions between all 10 cabins.
When we arrived, the first mission was to create a unity flag. This flag should include the name they chose for the cabin and it should be decorated in a way consistent with our theme, which was Hawaiian Luau. The group of girls sharing the tight space were quite diverse. When they sat down to begin their flag decoration, I was delighted to see how beautifully they worked together. Because our cabin was said to be haunted, they called themselves the Haunted Hula Girls. The girls attached flowers, wrote each of their names, drew designs and then put the flag on a huge limb and adorned the staff with neon pink duct tape. It was gorgeous, and it was created by all the girls together as a group. They won the unity flag competition.
Then came the scavenger hunt. Each cabin received clues as to where to find items that were hidden for their specific cabin. The Haunted Hula Girls were incredible. They all worked together and not only won the competition, but they were actually the only ones penalized, twice, for running (although all the children were running) and then had to find one of the objects in the woods because another group had thrown it to hide it. It was wonderful to see the faces of the girls completely engaged and their adrenaline pumping. If the lesson was to try your best and work together, the Haunted team got highest marks. There was another competition that evening that I can't even remember, but I do know that they had now won every event and the girls were on a roll.
The next morning the teachers judged the cleanest cabin and cabin decoration. The girls woke up, organized, swept and cleaned. Our decorations probably placed a strong second or third and we went into the dining hall to see how they had done. The teachers were sitting around the board waiting for us to arrive. I looked and realized they had given them a zero for both challenges. Zeroes. I looked at them and they found the whole thing humorous and proceeded to tell me that they had to make it even so they were penalizing them.
Well, when the girls found out what was going on, they lost focus. They started antagonizing one another and getting petty. The fun, the goal, the desire to work as a team had fizzled because they were not being fairly judged. In the end, we lost by a few points to a boys cabin who had gotten zeroes on the first three challenges.
This whole scenario has been bothering me for a few weeks now. It is beyond my comprehension that teachers would do such a thing to stymie anyone, yet alone 11 year old girls who were trying their best and excelling. I don't care if it is a scavenger hunt, or the National Spelling Bee, taking away the ability and the possibility for anyone to be their best is wrong and against the grain of what we are all about, especially our children.
We have No Child Left Behind, which pretty much leaves all the overachievers behind, we have cuts to gifted and talented programs, and we have taken competition away on so many fronts in order that no one has to be a "loser". Well, doesn't that make everyone a loser? The winners are handicapped and the weaker no longer have to work as hard knowing the playing field will be leveled before the finish line. I remember reading Atlas Shrugged and thinking how I abhorred the movement toward mediocrity. That feeling came to mind on this trip.
I know I am making this seemingly small event into a larger one, but this behavior struck a nerve. This trip was the most incredible compilation of lessons ranging from Pond Ecology where girls who have never walked barefoot before were in the lake mucking around amongst the turtles and snakes, to team building exercises. It was an incredible opportunity for girls and boys to work together, to unite, and try to do their best in the challenges given them.
I think the teachers, in their attempt to even the playing field and make everyone equal, taught the worst lesson of all. "Girls, don't strive for excellence in what you do or you will be handicapped later on. You will become a target of injustice by the same people you trust to launch you forward."
I know the teachers weren't trying to harm the children, but if there is going to be a competition, let it be fair, and in the event some get left behind, try and raise them to the higher level. Just please, never, bring the top ones down.
Therein lies the lesson.
