Well-taught lessons

Dear editor:

I was not surprised by the negative diatribe by Lloyd Hoffman in the April 15 issue in response to my earlier letter defending students nationwide with their efforts to secure congressional action concerning school mass shootings. Lloyd and I have disagreed on a number of issues in the past.

I do regret that he assumes that my 47 years of teaching at the junior high, high school, college and university levels have "poisoned the minds" of all those thousands under my leadership. Now if teaching students punctuality, responsibility, integrity and honesty, as well as the importance of looking at both sides of an issue with facts in mind, are traits of a misleader, I gladly accept his accusation.

I should like to inform Lloyd that at least once a week I read on Facebook and in newspapers of the business success of former students. And in daily life, it is not unusual from week to week to meet a former student who thanks me for being an understanding and knowledgeable teacher. Now I had my share of students who made up their minds that school was to be a waste of time for them, so those learned little, just as adults with closed minds are not amenable to change.

Lloyd might be surprised to be informed that in the 40 years spent at Henderson State, I taught a number of folks who became Garland County police, detectives, deputies and even one city judge. One of the police I taught is still serving. Among my students were also a number successful in the local business world, one of whom is a major editor of an area newspaper, and several who became successful radio and television personalities. I regard such successes as positive results and testify that my years of leadership could not have been all wrong.

Today's teachers face many more negative challenges than those of the past and I applaud them for remaining, and I also continue to applaud students who demonstrate their abilities to think and demand action by those who supposedly lead our nation.

Find something to be positive about, take a different path to your destination and smell the roses on the way. It does take a village, it does indeed!

John W. "Doc" Crawford

Hot Springs

Editorial on 04/22/2018

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