Contemporary Implications of Individual Authenticity: An Academic “Rant” -- Is “Win/Win” a Pipe-dream for Public School Libraries?
TDL Turner
Issue Contents
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Watching a video-formatted version of “A Beautiful Mind”, based on the life of Nobel Prize mathematician John Nash, my husband the Psychology major/ Philosophy minor, said suddenly “A beautiful mind was sabotaged by the body!!”
I made a written note of this, including time and date [1] as we thought of the many people, and I of the numerous women in the book of women scientists I misplaced when we moved, and other women geniuses, Artemisia Ghentilisi, Edmonia Lewis, Frida Kahlo, Romaine Brooks [2] and Emily Carr, part of a list too long for this commentary. Early state-funded schools were intended primarily for the few (male) students seen as deserving of education. [3] The elitist, non-democratic view was that children of farmers and labourers did not need formal education-- “State” funds were wasted when interfering with society’s rigidly dictated family-based cheap labour system. [4]
Even after increased public demands for more affordable education by the early 1840’s, the growing consensus was that “government-controlled public school systems . . . would serve to improve, and control, the quality of both citizenship and labour” as long as the curriculum for the “’masses’” remained “limited to what those in power, rather than the local communities . . . defined as useful knowledge”. [5]
Consequently, girls’ education would train them for “subordination within the family, rather than for paid work and independence.” [6] This is even more evident within many First Nations, African-Canadian [and some other ethnic or immigrant] communities, “for whom separate . . . more oppressive, schools were established and operated for . . . decades.” [7]
“Linda Gordon (1989), who examined social work records documenting family violence in Boston [Massachusetts] between 1880 and 1960, concluded that chronic, inter- generational poverty was a chief risk factor.” [8] When I think of “poverty”, however, I think also of cultural and intellectual poverty, neither necessarily the “acquired” poverty of so-called “impoverished nobility”, nor genteel descendants of Churchminster’s Latin scholars from the pages of Hardy’s Jude the Obscure.
Even when families, communities and teachers, themselves, “opposed this culture of dominance”, their employers’ agendas were unmistakable and enforced. [9] By the 1950’s, although exceptions and “escapees” were slowly increasing, the basic socio-economic/ “edu-programming” retained its vice-grip on the consciousness of most of the “masses”. Stereotypes remained ingrained and opportunities for logical, analytical, assertive, direct, decisive, independent, individualistic, self-reliant “thinker” styled women [10] were scarce, especially in other than traditional occupations, including library, where most of the top executives and managers were male.
From what I have read, observed and experienced throughout North America, while some of this has changed significantly, the chances of seeing males in more secretarial and clerical support roles remains proportionately slim in many public education systems. Realistically speaking, the women content occupying these types of positions, might not want men there. Many “traditional” women, comfortable being identified primarily as nurturing, subjective, cooperative, “flatterable”, and “understanding” have tended also to resent (or at least find puzzling) both men who appear to exhibit more of the “feelings” traits and women who operate more as “thinkers”.
At times this is demonstrated by an (thinly-concealed) aversion to the term “Ms.” and suspicion towards women who do not change their names to that of their husband’s upon marriage. It is a barely whispered secret that the agenda of some industries (including some public education systems) marks [insufficiently “feminine”] women for ultimate demotion, or at least non-promotion. Such women can expect never to have so-called “job security” unless they fit somewhere into a [politically convenient] category or unless they have a very influential (family) relative. -- A reminder that “job- security” for most humans of either gender, is much likelier enjoyed by members of society’s top 15-20% (somewhat irrespective of gender--although still favoring slightly the male) might be of small consolation.
Herein lie two tragedies, both in my opinion stemming from distorted ethics and corrupted basic morality (it is a relief one needs not aspire to sainthood just to observe basic morality!).
Tragedy numero uno is that the hardworking taxpayer’s (rising) taxes from multiple tax-sources in many instances do not adequately fund two of the most important structures proven to maintain civilized, healthy communities, e.g.- solid public education and accessible health-care. This leads eventually to societal “implosion” from within, that we see already in overcrowded public elementary classrooms [11], “win/lose” encounters between so-called “professional” and so-called “support” workers, steady decreases in appropriate remuneration and types of work for degreed academics (especially women), deteriorated physical and mental/emotional health among public workers and their families and, in both urban and small town settings, concerns about various drug-linked(especially crystal methamphetamine and crack-cocaine)or other violent crimes, including but not limited to child prostitution or gang sub-cultures.
Tragedie numéro deux . . . adolescent females without enough positive women “thinker” role-models, assume since there is little or no life beyond pregnancy, domesticity, and [pleasing-primarily male-authority] that they might as well start at age ten (note again the bare midriffs and 3-inch high-heels, with some help from ad-media!). If we are under the illusion that all frustrated career women successfully hide these bitter disappointments from their offspring and other family members, we need to re-think. Social programming has dictated (nearly worldwide) that “women whose superiors are male usually are rewarded more for niceness than for self-assertion and are punished for overtly confronting injustice and unfairness” [12] and this operates even in so-called “liberal” circles.
In many school library settings, males still are more likely to be seen repairing hard-drives and pulling cable. Even if a woman demonstrates capability in this area, probably she will receive neither recognition nor remuneration. --Conflicting duties either are introduced or the hours of work shortened to render efficiency impossible(and decreased remuneration for the female technician!). In some settings, senior technical library duties are intentionally “re-assigned” to a male employee already in a higher earning bracket or, even a manager [who, if female, usually either fits “political convenience” or benefits from nepotism].
Among the female library technological (or technical) support staff, numeracy or accounting skills are valued by [management] only as part of a “secretary-receptionist package”, while tutoring skills are considered useful only if part of a “special-needs” teaching assistant’s” package”. For non-secretarial library staff that attended elementary school in the 1950’s when students were taught to complete the tasks/projects at hand before starting new ones, the frenetic continuous “short term focus” mentality is both 2 steps from a seizure [!] and, according to Dr. John Ratey (and NIOSH), another spate of nails in the coffin encasing public health, as part of the “pseudo-Attention Deficit Disorder [pandemic] being imposed” on the human work environment. [13]
Another irony is that while information technology and records management, as well as structural design and accounting or actuarial occupations are very suited for some individuals born with very mild “pervasive perceptual disorders” such as Asperger’s Syndrome, many of these occupations still are less available to women than men, even in school library settings. [14] Non-traditional women of colour [15], especially if non-status [North American First Nations, Inuit or Métis] sometimes find the library career-path equally daunting and essential!
If the intention is to continue augmenting stereotypes and mediocrity within the human psyche, without regard to the widespread consequences of teenage pregnancies and over- population, viral and other communicable diseases, ”zero-concept” of self-discipline, increased youth prostitution and exploitation, alcohol and other substance abuses, and affiliated violent crimes, the agenda is plain.
Disabling and “dumbing down” the educated and ethical for socio-political/economic agendas at the expense of the “[common good]” always has amazed [some of us]!
If a child’s brain is not trained to read for comprehension (other than the online-arcade “cheater-lists”), if what is read either fuels delusion, reinforces hopelessness and despair, or represents meaningless marks on a page, we are about to revisit more realities than do Thomas Hardy’s novels.
Potentially “beautiful minds” remain imprisoned for life--or death? --Inside [the wrong] bodies -- while “honey there’s no money!” resounds within their eardrums. It has little or nothing to do with degrees, diplomas, or certifications, and much to do with self-serving, systemic corporate and political nepotism, dollar-power-plays [16] . . .and very short, narrow, dim vision. [17]
We need good public schools North America-wide with libraries that are the schools’ academic hubs. We need to stop pretending this is other than priority and to recognize the diverse educated, trained staff that has invested both their years and their funds into these learning resource centers. Really, we can launch a new, brightened, enlightened direction when replacing the obstacle-“isms” [18] with “mass will to equity and fairness”.
Really . . . in fact.
(c) 2005 TDL Turner “ARR”
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Bibliography
Print Materials
Analyzing Issues : Science, Technology, & Society / Don Galbraith (et.al) 1997 Toronto, ON, Trifolium Books Inc.
Behind the Mask : destruction and creativity in women’s aggression; Dana Crowley Jack, President and Fellows of Harvard University College, Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA/ London, England, 1999.
The History of Slavery / Norman L. Macht and May Hull 1997 (World History series), San Diego, CA, Lucent Books.
Life on the Screen : Identity in the Age of the Internet/ Sherry Turkle 1995 New York, NY, Simon & Schuster.
The Newscasters : “the news business as show business”/ Ron Powers 1977 New York, NY, St. Martin’s Press.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health : includes studies [workplace health issues] published [1997-2004] from Canada, U.S.A., Australia [etc.]
“Public Schools in Canada: a History Lesson”, by Hari Dehli & Harry Smaller, Our Times (October/November 2003: 18-19).
Social Psychology -8th ed. / Shelley Taylor (et.al) 1994 Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall.
Waking Up : Overcoming the Obstacles to Human Potential / Charles T. Tart 1986 (Institute of Noetic Sciences)-- Boston, MA, Shambhala /New Science.
Radio and Television Broadcasts
Lorna Jackson, broadcaster, “The World This Weekend”, CBC Radio, interview with Dr. Mel Levine on his recently published book (Study of Development and Learning, University of North Carolina), 6-6:30 pm, 2005 February 20th.
Leslie Primeau, broadcaster, 630 CHED/ WIC Radio, Edmonton, various interviews with [women on linked topics] including Linda Trimble, U of A professor, on “Women Politicians”, 2004April 12: 1-3 pm.
Natasha Stowell, “Daily Planet”, CFRN Television, interview with Dr. John Ratey, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 10:05-10:15 am, 2005, March 19th.
Conferences & Workshops (presentations)
“Asperger’s Syndrome: Stranger in a Familiar Land” (from the Asperger’s Syndrome Curriculum, part of an Edmonton Community Outreach Support Services workshops series for public school instructional, teaching assistance, and learning resources personnel), Edmonton, Alberta , Canada 2001-2002.
Web Sites
The World Health Network : “Formulations” (online: who.)--
[1] ”A Beautiful Mind” (lead actor, Academy Award winner Russell Crowe, portraying John Nash ) . . . 2004 August 8- 8:45pm Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
[2] Frieda Kahlo has been the subject of the 2003(?) movie “Frida” (lead actor, Salma Hayek); Artemisia Ghentilisi [ca. 1400-1500?] sculptor/ painter; Edmonia Lewis was a 19th century [Moxhaccine] Chippewa/ African-American sculptor/ painter who expatriated to Italy, as did American born Romaine Brooks.
[3] Dehli, Hari & Harry Smaller, “Public Schools in Canada: a History Lesson”, Our Times (October/November 2003: 18).
[4] Ibid.,[p] 18.
[5] Ibid.,[p] 18.
[6] Ibid.,[p] 19.
[7] Ibid., [p] 19.
[8] Jack, Dana Crowley, Behind the Mask : destruction and creativity in women’s aggression; . . . . . . Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA/ London, England, 1999, p. 285.
[9] Op.cit., [p]19.
[10] Op.cit., p. 287.
[11] Hence, the 19th and early 20th century term “common school”!
[12] Jack, Dana Crowley, Behind the Mask : destruction and creativity in women’s aggression; . . . . . . Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA/ London, England, 1999, p. 133.
[13] Ratey, Dr. John, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, interviewed by Natasha Stowell, “Daily Planet”, CFRN Television, 10:05-10:15 am, 2005, March 19th-- (NIOSH=National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).
[14] “Asperger’s Syndrome: Stranger in a Familiar Land” (from the Asperger’s Syndrome Curriculum, part of an Edmonton Community Outreach Support Services workshops series for public school instructional, teaching assistance, and learning resources personnel), St. Albert . . . Winter workshop series 2001.
[15] As does Dana Crowley Jack (Op.cit., p. 285) I use the term “of colour” to denote red, brown, black and yellow persons, vis-à-vis white/pink persons.
[16] Dehli, Hari & Harry Smaller, “Public Schools in Canada: a History Lesson”, Our Times (October/November 2003: 19).
[17] Business and industry of itself is not the problem, abusive monopolism is a proven problem; a “small-business-based” economy would be a partial anecdote.
[18] Some “ ‘obstacle- isms’ “ : sexism; racism; ageism; gender-ism; nepotism; anti-intellectualism; “clique-ism”
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