One of the most important lessons we can teach kids is how to act. I do not mean by constant reprimand but by example and mentoring. I saw something many years ago in Las Vegas that proves my point. I mentioned the trip to Las Vegas for the NSTA conference earlier. This occurred when we were getting ready to leave. As we sat in the casino waiting for people to get downstairs, we saw the pro basketball player Dennis Rodman. He was in the casino gambling. What drew our attention wasn’t who he was but how he acted. He kept grabbing the waitresses inappropriately. They changed the waitress three times during our short wait. He was very loud and inappropriate. What was even more discusting was that every time a waitress balked at his wandering hands, he would throw a $500 chip on her tray and they would bring out the next waitress to help him. I was dumbfounded that this was his and the casino’s expectations. No one batted an eye as this went on. I know that pro athletes say they have a private life and should have the freedom to act as they want. This crossed every line of decency and it was allowed because of his celebrity. The reason why this was important to me is that as a teacher I leave the building and go into the community. I am not an athlete or celebrity but I have seen at least 10 students in the last week at restaurants, stores, and movie theaters. My behavior matters. I sometimes reap the benefits of being a teacher and so I am careful about how I am perceived in the community. All teachers should keep this in mind. When I see an athlete or celebrity act like a fool I just chalk it up to not understanding their place in their communities.
