By Horatio
I just read an article about the PSU suing a member over a statement made on Facebook.
This is too classic to leave alone. First, we have a parent accusing the PSU of discrimination for withdrawing a scholarship because of political affiliation. Then the union filed a lawsuit against the parent for deformation because they chose to discuss it in a public forum. And we are wondering what the problem is in our blessed country?
Grow up, my friends. Why do you think it’s ok to sue a member for saying something you feel is inappropriate? What a way to win friends and influence people. Do you have a lawyer on staff with nothing to do? I ask that not out of disrespect for the lawyer but because in my professional career, I was always cautioned that they would always find things to keep them occupied if I hired a full-time lawyer. Lawyers are highly motivated people, usually with good work ethics. Put another way, lawyers will always do what lawyers do, “sue people.” They work on your behalf.
I have a few questions that continue to haunt me, so here I go again. Why are all these individual scholarships needed if education is accessible and free to all those who pass the common entrance exam? (I know there is another acronym for it, but it means the same thing to me). I have a problem with this gold medal approach to educating our kids. When I was going to school, my parents had to decide about my education and that of my sisters; there were two of us one year apart and another more affordable space. It was simple. We had to make the necessary sacrifices because not going to school was not an option. And a sacrifice it was for my dad’s weekly salary of $28, including overtime. I will spear you the detail because this story is not about me, and many of my friend’s parents had the same financial issues. So, let’s go back to this issue in a more modern context.
Many of us have heard about high school kids in the USA receiving over a million dollars in scholarships. The story is usually about some minority kid because it makes for good reading and shock value. The story is generally told with a racial and ethnic bias, either someone using it to highlight how far we have come in racial equality or how much the minority or immigrant kid is taking away from the American (white) kids.
Now, does anyone among us think that this kid got a million dollars? If you do, you are wrong. The kid and their parents choose which scholarship they will accept, and the others get reallocated. Oh yes, the only organization that ever receives any cash is the institution the kid decides to attend.
So, I ask, why all the fuss? If the child was eligible for multiple scholarships, let them be listed as winners. After all, we are still all about winners and losers.
In my opinion, the need for education assistance is tremendous among the population at large, than members of the PSU. Because by default, being a member of the PSU means that you are gainfully employed and, in general, can afford to educate your kid without additional assistance.
I have another option for the PSU and the other social clubs who want to appease their consciences. How about funding an after-school programme in each secondary school to help the kids navigate the most problematic years of their lives? A programme that would help them with homework, studying protocols, good morals, ethical standards, and include a mentoring component. A programme that will teach our young people how to navigate the difficulties of transitioning into adulthood. A programme that works with businesses to provide internships and after-school work experience. A programme that will teach them to respect themselves and others, one that will develop them into responsible, culturally aware critical thinkers.
Horatio
