Further Trials And Tribulations Of A Private School Parent...

[flinthart]

This one is... interesting. I thought long and hard before I wrote this, but in the end, it comes to this: I've discussed this issue with the school. I've taken it just as far as I can reasonably take it. And the school has told me in no uncertain terms that they're not interested, and not concerned -- and so I see no reason why I can't talk about

Comments

[catsidhe]

Full of win, sir.

I salute you, and Jake.

[capnoblivious]

As do I, sir.

[flinthart]

Thanks. I just wish it hadn't been necessary -- and I feel for the boys who haven't got the kind of relationship that brings their parents onside when needed. That two of Jake's buddies pulled out tells me (as does Jake) that more of them would also like to exit... but it's hard to do so when you're only in your first year at the school and the big, authoritative House Officers are applying pressure.

[kittygopounce]

Very much so, and thank goodness Jake and his relationship with you provided an exit for some of the other boys at least.

[murasaki_1966]

I think this qualifies you and Natalie for Parents of the Decade awards. Seriously, what are they thinking? I hope you are thinking about getting Jake out of there.

[flinthart]

I'd love to. But the school is Natalie's thing, and I've said all I can short of drawing a divorce line in the sand. Now all I can do is be supportive.

This is my version of supportive.

[murasaki_1966]

Hopefully she starts adding things like this up, and realising it's not worth it. how would she react if Jake came home and said he hates it and wanted to leave?

[murasaki_1966]

Your version of supportive is the best I've ever sen

[murasaki_1966]

You know, this is hazing, pure and simple.

[catsidhe]

No, hazing is meant to end.

This is "your place in the monkey hierarchy is to dance for our amusement in the most humiliating way we can think of. Get used to it."

"Getting used to it" would not help.

[flinthart]

Yep.

Hence my step into the fray.

It's a hell of a thing. I was never good at being part of the monkey gang when I was a kid, and I'm even worse at it as an adult. But as an adult, I've got some advantages. I know how to use my intellect these days. And I have thirty years of martial training too. I have never had to say "Drag me into your shitty monkey games at your own risk, motherfucker" aloud... but once or twice I have spoken very quietly to people, with a gentle smile, and somehow they got the message.

Thing is, you have to learn to see the game before you can walk away from it. So in that sense -- yes, I'm grateful to this stupid school. Jake just got a marvellously valuable lesson, at almost no cost to him.

But really -- what the fuck are we paying this school for, anyhow?

[flinthart]

Agreed. And you're not the only one who thinks so. Even Natalie has come to that conclusion since she ran the whole scenario past a friend of hers who went through the English boarding school system.

The school itself doesn't care, though. Hey -- you want a good one? The year seven girls are doing "Barbie Girl".

You wanna take a small bet as to whether they play it for the satire that it is, or whether they just play up lines like "You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere..."

It's all just a bit of fun, though, right?

[satyapriya]

I wish I'd had this sort of support when I had to go up against a teacher, and the school, when I was 16.

[flinthart]

Yeah. One can but wish for one's own sake. But I had a shitty time of it also, at high school... and I will be damned for a coward and a piece of shit if I don't try whatever I can to help my kid come away better.

It's hard. You want him to learn to fight his own battles, but sometimes the stuff they throw at him...

[murasaki_1966]

They do need to fight their own battles, but no one should go into battle unarmed. You've armed him. That's what good parents do.

[flinthart]

He's away on camp this week. Armed again: he's got three sandwich bags of very high-quality home-made beef jerky, and a bottle of Sriracha chili sauce. The jerky will make for trade goods as well as snacking. The chili sauce will help turn camp slop into food.

Of course, it doesn't help him look any more like a normal kid...