Scots Taffer on 6/2/2007 at 07:07
Right, it's Japan. What was I thinking?
Ultraviolet on 6/2/2007 at 07:15
Quote Posted by Scots_Taffer
Right, it's Japan. What was I thinking?
Hey, wait, was that some kind of sarcasm?
I bet it might be equally culturally insensitive to just assume that a culture's views on discipline are the same as our own. All I said was that I have talked to some people who mentioned things like that being at least somewhat commonplace, and I theorized that it may be that they just don't do things the same way.
And hey. It IS Japan.
Scots Taffer on 6/2/2007 at 07:18
Quote Posted by Ultraviolet
Hey, wait, was that some kind of sarcasm?
No.
Quote Posted by Ultraviolet
And hey. It IS Japan.
Exactly. It's almost like I forgot what I was talking about.
demagogue on 6/2/2007 at 09:37
Believe me, I *really* wanted to slam him then and there.
I was on the other side of a field leaving for the day -- actually my last day teaching there altogether, sort of after all the in-class good-byes -- and watching it at a distance. And I sort of didn't believe what I was seeing until it happened so fast that by the time it registered it was over.
And then I didn't know what to do ... Do I deck him after the fact? Will he even know why I'm doing it? Do I say something -- my Japanese wasn't really that great? Most all of the other teachers already left for the day? Do I do something? What? Yeah, it was really an awful feeling because I so just wanted to be done with that school and go home but I had to watch that happen at a distance. And to be honest I later felt ashamed that I didn't do more.
In the end I managed to shout out something to the effect of "You are a fucking animal!" in the best Japanese I could manage. I mean, if you take Japanese you are taught how to make it polite, esp to an elder -- so I tried to make it as offensive as I could because I meant it. I don't know if he even heard, I hope so, he sort of turned around and went back inside.
I was right next to the board of ed building, though, so I thought the best thing I could do was at least report it, even though I already knew they probably wouldn't do anything. I wanted him out of a job more than anything else. But at least I didn't have to see him at my going-away party. They could tell I was seriously pissed off.
Another teacher who had actually been this guy's student 15 years before actually warned me about this guy, so I sort of knew it might be coming. The former student really hated the guy too and hated how they treated him with impunity. So it made me feel a little better that some teachers, the vast majority really, were really good people. I should also say that this occurance is very rare in Japan and people already realize it's a problem.
Scots Taffer on 6/2/2007 at 11:11
Hey, I commend you for doing what you did in a land not your own and as I said, my comment wasn't intended to belittle you, and I'm glad you took it to a higher authority - futile though it may have been. Now that you paint a picture where there's some distance involved etc, that does change things, and like you I probably wouldn't know what to do, except screaming something to a similar effect - perhaps with a few more curse words (and I'd know those, because universally people want to teach you dirty words almost immediately). :)
ilweran on 6/2/2007 at 13:53
Quote Posted by demagogue
America may be all sorts of screwed up (my mother, an elementary teacher, couldn't spray aniseptic on a student's cut without parent permission because of liability fear), but if my choice is between over-protectiveness and absolute obliviousness ... well, at least I feel the US has the right motivations in mind. It just shouldn't push it to such absurd lengths.
For a UK view on that, in my school you couldn't have antiseptic or a plaster and the teacher had to use gloves whilst cleaning the cut or whatever with water and paper towels.
This led to the ridiculous situation after I fell down a couple of steps and cut my knee of me being sent out of the first aid room with blood still dripping down my leg and and onto the floor. Fantastic for hygiene :rolleyes:
By contrast, another school I went to would not just give you plasters, but would also hand out paracetamol if you had a headache.
Ultraviolet on 7/2/2007 at 07:34
Quote Posted by Scots_Taffer
No.
Exactly. It's almost like I forgot what I was talking about.
Sorry, I just assumed your post was the TTLG usual. :P
Bobotsin on 7/2/2007 at 08:05
Gotta clean the cache madam!
AR Master on 7/2/2007 at 20:53
Quote Posted by Scots_Taffer
I'm not questioning your manhood but I see any guy slap a young female child to the ground and even if he's twice my size, I'm swinging for the fuck. Especially if it's a teacher. That's really quite sick though and I can understand your horrible position, even if I doubt I'd keep a reign on my temper in the same situation - just my upbringing, you know? Instinctual.
FEAR NOT LADIES YOUR WHITE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR HAS ARRIVED TO SWEEP YOU OFF YOUR FEET TRUELY A MAN'S MAN FOR THE AGES HE HAS DEVELOPED A RAW INSTINCT TOWARD GNASHING HIS TEETH AT ANY MAN WHO DARE SULLEYS A FAIR MAIDEN'S MOST VIRTUOUS HAND
Printer's Devil on 7/2/2007 at 22:35
If Scots substituted the fists with a giant, sloppy haggis and wore a kilt while giving the beat-down, I would buy him two fancy beers. Imagine how flustered that bully would be getting lashed across the face with sheep guts.
