The Ivory Tower - originally coined in the Bible's 7:4 Song of Soloman - has come to mean a solitary place of study where you can make a career, like university. I would argue that this could be extended to positions of authority and trust like doctors, police, priests and other community leaders. Since humans are pack animals, they seek a certain amount of hierarchical structure and these respected "pillars of the community"are where many people find that leadership. As we grow up, we are taught to respect people in these positions - and rightly so as they are academic and it takes years of dedication to earn these titles. Yet, there is a loud thump that resonates from these expectations when they are violated. If a person has a series of experiences with any of these professions (or combination, thereof) that include disappointment, disenfranchisement, scorn, ridicule, fear or violence, the Ivory Tower is cracked and starts to crumble.
The list of Ivory Tower careers would not be complete without mention of teachers. Those we come to for access to knowledge from a very young age to adulthood where our definition of "teacher" is expanded away from just those who stand in front of a classroom. These people are seen as sources of intellect and hold a great deal of respect and trust. Isn't it a shame, then, that there are members of the educational professions who disrespect this trust by letting their egos guide them, instead of their efforts and good intentions they had while they, themselves, were in school?
I speak from the perspective of someone who has always loved the theory of what school was supposed to be - the ideal pursuit of knowledge and an increasing depth of understanding in all subject areas. I'm from the "Reading Rainbow" generation - for those of you who don't know, Reading Rainbow was Levar Burton's entertaining show built around encouraging children to read. I remember being so excited about the first day of school every year... I had enjoyed Summer vacation and I was ready for that new opportunity to "start fresh"... "This year is going to be different! I'm going to excel in my classes and learn a lot of interesting things and I'm going to meet a bunch of wonderful people!" Soon afterwards though, every year, I'd remember that people can be mean to people who are different. I'd get off on the wrong foot with someone; I wouldn't wear the right thing; I didn't own the right pencil... whatever. We all get bullied at some point, right? If not... you were the bully... But I would try to not let it bother me - we were all taking some time to "get in the swing of things" in the new semester or at the new school... teachers were new, schedule was different... there was an adjustment.
Sooner or later, though, school becomes routine - and for the misfits, popular kids and everything in between, school settles down. Some classes I liked, others not so much... same with everyone, right? My routine, however, was mostly grouped into the few classes I did really well in (like Language Arts) and...the others...
I knew that teachers were part of the Ivory Tower class of people I should respect on sight. They were trying to help, trying to help us grow... and it wasn't their fault that they couldn't stop the bullies from going after me. Humans are pack animals, and I was one of the runts.
So I worked... and I studied... and I tried to find interest in everything we were learning... yeah... right...
But that was ok because I had music, art, the fun parts of gym (gymnastics, volleyball, that one soccer class that I scored the winning goal) and Language Arts. I loved L.A. because you got to read interesting books and discuss them. I did well in the class because I was a strong writer and had good comprehension (except with poetry).
And then there was Mrs. McGee. She was my teacher in grade 7... and a good one... We got to study "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee...still one of my favourite books... and sometimes we watched movies based on the books we read. And every class we had 15 minutes of "Free Reading"... anything we wanted to read except comic books.
One day - I forgot my free reading book:
This wasn't a big deal because there was a large group of shelves in the back of the classroom filled with books to choose from. I saw an orange binding (I love bright colours) and found "The Chrysalids" by John Wyndham (Published by Penguin - all their paperbacks have an orange spine). Since a post-apocolyptic, science fiction tale looked interesting and free reading only lasted 15 minutes, I started reading it back at my desk and became instantly engrossed.
Mrs. McGee shortly came around to see what I had chosen and immediately took it out of my hands.
"Melissa - This book is for grade 10 students"
Well, of course, I hadn't noticed that the book had grade recommendations on its' back cover... it just looked interesting. I said that I was enjoying it and asked to have it back. Mrs. McGee said that grade 7 was too young to read this book and I wouldn't understand it so I would have to choose another book. With one last attempt, I started to tell her about the small bit I had been able to read in the short amount of time wishing that would be enough... but she walked back to her desk at the front of the classroom, with other kids looking over their books at us, and placed "Chrysalids" on its' corner. I could see my little book on the big desk and knew that I couldn't argue the point anymore. What the teacher said was right and a child shouldn't argue with a teacher.
Later, I thought that she must be right... I wouldn't have been able to read it... why should I try? And I didn't read much for the next while... why bother?
I slowly got back into reading, little by little... but that always gnawed at me that someone who I had called my "favourite" teacher could do something like that... As an adult, I look back and think "Hey, if I'm a teacher and I have a student who is reading above their level, I should encourage them... not publicly argue their abilities in front of the other children who are likely bullies..."
Since then, and other misadventures with Ivory Tower types, I have to work very hard to give people in those professions the opportunity to earn my trust and respect. I still know there are plenty of good people in these professions... and a good friend of mine is a teacher (an excellent one)... but there is always that sense of mistrust... The Ivory Tower has crumbled.
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