Leaders, Please Learn From My Elementary Kids!

Dear Mrs. Pelosi, Mr. Trump, and the rest of the children on Capital Hill – grow up!!!

Charles Mickles, Elementary Principal, Written Winter, 2020

 

This week has been the final straw. I have watched in disgust, year after year, at the totally unkind and dishonoring behavior from those who call themselves our leaders, and quite frankly, I’ve had all I can take. This week my sister, in a Facebook comment, hit the nail on the head:

 

Well, it’s official, we have elementary children running the country and a bunch of people supporting their behavior. 
“I can’t believe she ripped the papers!” 
“Well, he didn’t shake her hand!” 

I have to listen to this conversation every day at my house! Because this is how CHILDREN respond. 

“It was so disrespectful that she ripped the papers.” “Yes, it was!” 

“It was so rude that he didn’t shake her hand.” “Yes, it was.”

 

I agree with my sister 100%, except for one thing – my elementary students do not even act like this. Sure, they are kids, and they mess-up sometimes, but they understand that acting like this is not right. That normal, kind people do not behave this way. They know that they are responsible for what they do, not someone else.

 

For decades this problem has gotten worse, each side blaming the other for the continued ridiculousness. As the rudeness and unkindness escalates, each side plays victim to the idea that the other side is to blame, as if they are a pillar of virtue and totally innocent in these matters.

 

It’s Trump’s fault – Pelosi is to blame – Obama caused the divide – Bush lied – congress (regardless of who is in-charge) is to blame for the rhetoric - on and on and on the blame game goes. No one takes responsibility for their part, and all excuse their behavior because “someone else is doing it”.

 

As an elementary principal, I sometimes have these conversations with student, but you know what, after we talk, they understand, are remorseful, and apologize – what a novel idea. They understand that while they might make mistakes, this is not acceptable behavior. This is certainly a lesson our politicians could stand to learn.

 

At what point is enough, enough? When will even one stand up and say, I was wrong, and I am now going to start acting like an adult. What happened to disagreeing without being disagreeable, or agreeing to disagree, or showing kindness to others, or “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”? When did we stop doing this? When did we decide it was ok to show this example to our children?

 

Each side blames the other, and the cycle continues. When will our leaders take responsibility for themselves? At what point will our leaders remember the lessons of their youth, and once again treat each other with respect and kindness (whether they think the other deserves it or not).

 

Our leaders could learn a lot from my elementary kids about how to treat one another. Maybe we should let them switch places. At this point, I am sure my elementary kids could do a better job of running things (or at least at treating others better) and our leaders could definitely use a refresher course in “Being kind, one to another…”.

 

It is sad to me that our kids are better examples of how to treat others than our political leaders, and that this is the example they are seeing. Mr. Trump, Mrs. Pelosi, and all the children on Capital Hill – grow up, and once again show our children how to treat one another well. Be the examples you should be; stop blaming one another, and find a way to be part of the solution and a light to others on how we should behave. If you don’t know how to do this, just come spend a few days with my students, I am sure they can help you learn how to do this once again.