A teacher in name only

A while back, I had a discussion with a man who claims to be a teacher.

Reality says he is a teacher. So, like it or not, I have to accept the fact he is a teacher. I do not like it.

To explain -

Someone else suggested this man read a book. A book. Words on a page.

"No. That's not going to happen," this man replied.

I was quite surprised and immediately my level of respect for this man plummeted. The more I listened to him speak, the lower my respect dropped.

His comments displayed a level of deliberate ignorance that was shocking for someone who claims to be a teacher, has the formal education to be a teacher and even works as a teacher. Sadly, his way of doing things is becoming ever more entrenched.

As he spoke, he got things wrong. When corrected, he acted surprised.

If he would simply read that one book, he would learn so much and his incorrect views on those particular matters would get corrected.

No, was the response again.

I asked why he would not read the book. He said a different man told him he should not read the book.

Whoa. If someone sincerely tells me I should not read a book, I am teleporting to the Library to see if they have it in stock. I may even buy a copy. I will read that book.

Just read the book. No one asked him to assimilate or grok the information in the book. Just read it. He did not have to agree or even like the book and the information therein.

No, again.

I wonder what he is afraid of.

As a teacher, he should embrace knowledge from any and every source. Those sources may well confirm and reaffirm his own views. Those source may be in direct opposition to his views.

Those sources may be evil, may be wrong, may be contradictory. Those sources may be totally accurate, factual and represent reality.

Those sources may challenge his views.

Ahhhhh, I may be onto something there.

If he would read the book, he would have information. He would have a better understanding.

 Understanding of what? Does not matter. It would grow his understanding.

No, again.

I am in contact with this man and we trade emails each week. Each week I ask him a question. He answers.

Unlike him, I want to understand more. That is the only reason I continue to have a conversation with him. He continues in his deliberate ignorance, which boggles my mind.

Why does a teacher refuse to learn?

With each question answered, my respect for him drops a little more. It is obvious he does not wish to expand his knowledge base.

I simply do not get that. I said as much. He gave me a non-reply to the effect that it is a decision he has made. I am welcome to question it, but the answer will not change.

The idea that this man claims to be a teacher and actually teaches other people to think the exact same way he does is literally terrifying to me. He is teaching other people to close their minds and reject information out of hand.

This man is walking the road of totalitarianism, control and eliminating freedom. When other people tell you what you can and cannot read, they are directly trying to control you. Yes, they are. Every dictator government in the world shuts down freedom of communication as one of the 2 primary steps to controlling the people.

So to him I reply, "No. That's not going to happen."

I will read. I will read banned books. I will encourage other people to read banned books. I will learn. I hope they learn.

I may learn things I do not want to know. So be it. I may learn harmful things. So be it. I may learn things that disturb me. So be it.

I will learn.

I do not have to act upon these things I learn. I do not have to believe these things I learn. I do not have to accept the challenges presented in the things I learn.

I will learn.

Some of you want to know what book he refuses to read. I will only say it is banned in some places.

COMMENTS ON THIS POST FROM ANOTHER WEBSITE

1) Eh, that's assuming the book you speak of isn't utterly garbage.

My reply: Irrelevant. If you wish to understand other people, you need to understand them. One man's garbage is another man's treasure. To dismiss something out of hand, without attempting to understand it or know about it is prejudice, bigotry and empirical evidence of a closed mind.

2) I knew this Baptist minister once. Tall fella, really big, had red hair and delivered a really convincing fire & brimstone sermon like no one else I'd ever listened to. He had a bookshelf in his office. One of the shelves had the bible prominently placed in the middle. Surrounding it were other religious text such as the Bhagavad Gita, Book of Mormon, Qu'ran, The Tao and others. All the books other than the bible had a red sticker on their spine with the word "poison" on it. Always thought he was brave to read books which he thought were poisonous.

My reply: That is a person interested in learning.

3) Wow. I am a teacher and realize exactly what I don't know daily.

One of the best quotes I have read was from a 92 year old person, who said, "I have learned I have a lot more to learn."

One day, I will have more knowledge and understanding. I need to be a more effective teacher than I am.

(I did not offer a reply to this)