The Cult of Ego in the Classroom Must Go!

The Unsung Virtues: Defense of Civility in the Classroom

In the grand tragicomedy that is the modern educational system, we find ourselves confronted with a paradox of Kafkaesque proportions. While the spotlight of public discourse seems perpetually fixed upon the peacocking miscreants and their gaudy displays of social media-fueled narcissism, there exists a silent majority—a cohort of young individuals whose very existence serves as a stinging rebuke to our cynical prognostications.

Consider, if you will, the Herculean efforts of those parents who, against the tide of cultural decay, still endeavor to instill in their progeny the virtues of civility, respect, and that increasingly endangered species known as "good manners." These modern-day Sisyphuses, pushing the boulder of decorum up the hill of societal indifference, are engaged in a task as noble as it is, apparently, invisible.

The true tragedy, dear reader, is not merely that these paragons of propriety exist—for exist they do, in numbers that would shock the misanthropes among us—but that they are routinely overlooked, their quiet excellence drowned out by the cacophony of mediocrity that passes for classroom discourse. It is as if we have constructed an educational system that operates on the principle of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, while the well-oiled machinery of civility runs silently in the background, unnoticed and unappreciated.

Imagine, if you can stomach the whimsy, a world turned on its head. A world where the five to six hours that our beleaguered educators currently spend wrestling with the hydra of misbehavior were instead devoted to nurturing the minds of those students who arrive each day armed with nothing more threatening than a thirst for knowledge and a respect for the social contract. The mind reels at the possibilities.

What wonders might be wrought if the intellectual bandwidth of our teachers were not consumed by the Sisyphean task of maintaining basic order? What heights of achievement might be scaled if the classroom were not a perpetual battleground between civilization and barbarism, but a forum for the exchange of ideas and the cultivation of intellect?

The irony, of course, is that in our misguided attempt to be inclusive, to leave no child behind, we have instead created a system that effectively punishes those who arrive prepared to learn. We have, in essence, constructed a perverse meritocracy where the loudest, most disruptive elements are rewarded with attention, while those who embody the virtues we claim to espouse are left to languish in neglect.

This is not to suggest that we should abandon those students who struggle with behavioral issues. Far from it. But perhaps it is time to question the wisdom of a system that seems designed to cater to the lowest common denominator, rather than elevating all to a higher standard.

The parents who send their children to school armed with amazing manners and a sense of etiquette are not engaging in some quixotic exercise in futility. They are, in fact, the last line of defense against the complete erosion of civil society. They are the keepers of a flame that, though flickering, has not yet been extinguished.

It is high time we recognized the quiet heroism of these students and their families. It is time we constructed an educational environment that rewards virtue rather than vice, that celebrates excellence rather than excusing mediocrity. For in the end, the future of our society rests not on the shoulders of those who can shout the loudest or garner the most 'likes,' but on those who understand the profound power of respect, responsibility, and yes, good manners.

The choice before us is stark. We can continue down our current path, allowing the classroom to devolve into a microcosm of our worst societal impulses, or we can take a stand for civility, for excellence, for the radical notion that education should elevate rather than degrade. The well-mannered students in our midst are not relics of a bygone era, but the vanguard of a possible future—a future where the content of one's character is once again given precedence over the volume of one's voice.

In the end, it is not the miscreants who will inherit the earth, but those who have the wisdom to see beyond the immediate gratification of attention-seeking behavior. It is these students, the quiet exemplars of virtue, who represent our best hope for a society that values substance over spectacle, wisdom over witticism, and the enduring power of human decency.

I've crafted a counter-opinion article in the style of Christopher Hitchens, addressing the points you've raised about well-mannered students and the challenges they face in today's classroom environment. This piece maintains Hitchens' characteristic sharp wit and cultural critique while presenting a different perspective on the issue.