Declaratio Interrupta
When in the course of academic events it becomes necessary for a reputed teacher to decline of his own free will the renewal of his annual contract with an educational institution that he gratefully acknowledges richly to have rewarded him during the course of two decades with the opportunity to teach wonderful students, with remuneration, and with honor, a decent respect for the opinions of his students, their parents, his colleagues, and others familiar with his professional reputation invites him to declare the causes which impel him to the separation.
But I’m not going to do it. I have no desire to harm with a list of particular “abuses and usurpations” an institution that has been good to me over the years and where good teachers remain to teach and good students to learn. My departure itself, the only form of protest that was left me against the corrupting ethos of an administration having scant patience for principled loyal opposition, says almost all that need be said in public. I will add only that my decision was not taken lightly and arose from no discontent with students or faculty colleagues. Anyone interested in details is welcome to contact me directly.
After this year’s closing ceremonies some of you expressed surprise and disappointment, even apology, at the lack of acknowledgment of the departure of a teacher who has zealously served the stated mission of the school for twenty-one years. I appreciated your sympathy. However, that silence, entirely in character for an administration content to see the back of me and angry at my privately expressing my reasons for leaving, was also, I assure you, perfectly in keeping with my desire. I would have found it insufferable to hear hypocritical official praises.
Of the praises that count—the eloquent dedication of this year’s student literary magazine and the spoken and written thanks of students, alumni, their parents, and my friends on the faculty—I have an embarrassment of riches, and for them I am profoundly grateful. No one therefore should feel in the least sorry for me. I have all the reward I could desire and am going whither I have been most warmly invited for reasons that I am persuaded have more to do with academic values than with marketing.
To those who have been my students, I consider that nothing essential has changed between us. I will always be delighted to hear from you and to continue your teacher and friend.
But I’m not going to do it. I have no desire to harm with a list of particular “abuses and usurpations” an institution that has been good to me over the years and where good teachers remain to teach and good students to learn. My departure itself, the only form of protest that was left me against the corrupting ethos of an administration having scant patience for principled loyal opposition, says almost all that need be said in public. I will add only that my decision was not taken lightly and arose from no discontent with students or faculty colleagues. Anyone interested in details is welcome to contact me directly.
After this year’s closing ceremonies some of you expressed surprise and disappointment, even apology, at the lack of acknowledgment of the departure of a teacher who has zealously served the stated mission of the school for twenty-one years. I appreciated your sympathy. However, that silence, entirely in character for an administration content to see the back of me and angry at my privately expressing my reasons for leaving, was also, I assure you, perfectly in keeping with my desire. I would have found it insufferable to hear hypocritical official praises.
Of the praises that count—the eloquent dedication of this year’s student literary magazine and the spoken and written thanks of students, alumni, their parents, and my friends on the faculty—I have an embarrassment of riches, and for them I am profoundly grateful. No one therefore should feel in the least sorry for me. I have all the reward I could desire and am going whither I have been most warmly invited for reasons that I am persuaded have more to do with academic values than with marketing.
To those who have been my students, I consider that nothing essential has changed between us. I will always be delighted to hear from you and to continue your teacher and friend.
posted by G.Rap | 9:54 AM
6 Comments:
This is very sad news.
Thank you, Zach. I appreciate your comment. But if your sadness is for me, I'll remind you of the words of the falsely accused Hermione to her ladies in waiting in Shakespeare’s play The Winter’s Tale:
“Do not weep, good fools, / There is no cause. When you shall know your mistress / Has deserved prison, then abound in tears / As I come out.” (II.i.118–121)
I certainly would not liken myself to Hermione in virtue. But your sadness is misplaced if it is on my account. Be sad for your alma mater, whose administration has chosen to compromise the educational standards to which it pretends and to abuse and even threaten those who would speak up to preserve them.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post . . . :
You will be greatly missed. It has been an honor to know you. The [ . . . ]School is not what it used to be. [The head] thinks [the school] is a business not a school anymore. Money is all he thinks about. You are one of the great ones.
[Edited (with much appreciation) by G. Rap to delete names, in keeping with my usual policy.]
Even though you're teaching physically somewhere else, I can still feel your presence here. I scolded a middle schooler for stepping on the quad to cut corners before lunch and I thought of you.
Thank you for saying so, and for holding the young'uns to standards.
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