clarification and apology

[Chris Finer <cfiner@NEWFOUND.K12.NH.US>]

Dear LM-NETters:

In building a HIT yesterday (regarding students departing permanently with
library books), I took over 30 responses and tried to boil them down into
something useful and readable.

In so doing, I offended one of the respondants, and I would like at this
time to apologize to him for misrepresenting his remarks to you.  Below
please find the message he sent me this morning (in its entirety) and his
original message, again in its entirety.

Jeff, truly, I did not mean to change the intent of your message and hope
that this follow-up post will set things right.

--Chris.


>Chris:
>       When editors cut sections from others' writings, they do so for
>space considerations and/or to tighten a piece, without sacrificing meaning
>or clarity.
>        Unfortunately, what you did with my response to your query was to
>change the apparent meaning and intent of what I said.  My message is then
>warped when presented to over 9,000 LM_NET members, globally.
>        This is unacceptable.
>        Whatever your reasons for chopping up and sharing only portions of
>what I shared with you, it is your obligation to go back to LM_NET and
>explain, in the very least, that the words of mine you shared do not
>faithfully convey my careful and considerate advice to you.
>        Understand, should you fail to clarify this misrepresentation of ME

>(guess what, this IS personal), I surely will.
>        As with library books, please give my words proper consideration
>if/when you elect to share them on.
>        Thanks!
>
>Jeff Kirkpatrick

>*****
>        The idea that we may--and even should--toss aside learners for
>having made mistakes, or exhibited errors in judgment, is akin to feeling
>we have the right and even the obligation to target birds, because,
>although they offer much more to the world than melodious songs, they also
>sometimes shit on us.  What dodos this would make us.
>
>Jeffrey E. Kirkpatrick
>Profession: adventurer (in Aurora, CO)
>Present Occupation: Self deployed
>e-mail address: jeffkirk@sni.net

And the original response:

Chris:
I genuinely commiserate, but would offer a bit of perspective in
acknowedgement of the realities involved.  Note your statement above,
mentioning "MY library books." This is admirable and understandable, even
as it is taking things too personally.  Do I suggest, by encouraging you to
try to take things LESS personally, that the issue is not that important?
Not at all.  Rather, what we need to remember is much larger than kids
personally attacking and undermining us by neglecting to return borrowed
(entrusted) materials.  To resolve this issue we must help--through
teaching and modeling--others realize how important THEIR actions are in
supporting, or undermining, theri world.  Lamentably, much of what our
dusfunctional society has "trusted" to kids is that they (supposedly)
cannot be--trusted.  This leaves kids feeling valueless, unimportant,
discounted;  which is exactly as it would understandably leave them. So
what does it matter what they do?!
        My advice, then, for alleviating this concern? Let each kid KNOW
they matter, and every bit as much as do their books. Let them know in such
a way that it will be no surprise to them, that should they move on THEY
will be missed. And if they had a favorite book from your shared
collection, just maybe you'll want to send a copy along with them!  Sound
crazy? Well, what is the true cost (or benefit?) of sending a prized $5.00
paperback along with a kid, who can thereby feel both valued for their
individual self and also feel not a thief for those boks they would then
care enough NOT to keep without invitiation? By comparison, how much does
it co$t us (beyond the $ignificant amount$ of time effort and re$ource$) to
try to recover materials when devalued individuals do not voluntarily
return them?

Hope something above will help. Take care. And, hey, I value you.

The idea that we may--and even should--toss aside learners for
having made mistakes, or exhibited errors in judgment, is akin to feeling
we have the right and even the obligation to target birds, because,
although they offer much more to the world than melodious songs, they also
sometimes shit on us.  What dodos this would make us.
>
Jeffrey E. Kirkpatrick
Profession: adventurer (in Aurora, CO)
Present Occupation: Self deployed
e-mail address: jeffkirk@sni.net



Jeff, to suggest that by wanting books back (books that I am charged by my
employers, my profession, my friends and neighbors, the taxpayers and their
children to protect and maintain) I am somehow devaluing children misses
the mark completely.  I can -- and do, damn it! -- care fiercely about my
children AND still want them to live up to the responsibility of returning
books.  If I let them walk off with materials that do not belong to them,
THEN I am devaluing them!  Telling them that they are somehow incapable of
living up to the responsibilities all of civilized society expects of them
(Thou shalt not steal?!) diminishes them far more than asking for books to
be returned.  I can let them know I will miss them.  I can counsel them NOT
to drop out.  And I can do both without shirking my responsibilities to my
employers and my profession.

And do you really think I would take the time -- yours and mine and
everybody else's in this listserv -- to grumble about a five dollar
paperback?  We're talking over one hundred dollars of brand new reference
books.

Again, Jeff, I apologize for misrepresenting your remarks to our
colleagues, but stand by my determination to get MY materials back.


Chris Finer, LMG
Library Media Program
Newfound Regional High School
Bristol, NH

cfiner@newfound.k12.nh.us

There's no use going to school
unless your final destination is
the library.
                   --after Ray Bradbury

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