I recently got a chance to see the movie Unbroken. I found the trailers intriguing and knowing that Angelina Jolie directed it drew me in. Angelina’s rebellious attitude is one that I admire. While all of her movies aren’t wildly successful, she strikes me as someone with a lot of strength. She seems to say what she thinks.
And so it begins….
This begins as a bit of a movie review, but stick with me and you’ll see where I’m going with it. My intent is less pop culture and more philosophy.
If you know nothing of the movie, it’s a tribute of sorts to the spirit of strength. Louis Zamperini was a trouble making kid turned Olympic runner turned shipwreck survivor, and finally a Japanese POW camp survivor. His story is slightly unbelievable and the movie will have you gasping, “My God…now this.”
Stranded in the middle of the ocean in a raft with 2 other survivors sounds desperate, but Louis was in his element as he was no stranger to doing what it takes to meet his goals. Fighting for survival as he killed fish surrounding the raft for food was expected and a bit graphic; but you felt the frustration and desperation that influenced his choices. It made for a great setup to his next struggle in the movie that was even more unbelievable (yet true).
The good news is that Louis was finally rescued……
…only to be taken to a Japanese POW camp where he was tortured, degraded, and forced to work for his Japanese captors. At times it appeared as if he was on the verge of an escape only to be put right back into his former degrading circumstances; counting the days and hours until victory by the United States would mean freedom for himself and the fellow prisoners.
It did eventually happen and Louis went on to live a life of forgiveness towards his captors and gratitude for his survival.
I walked away wondering what exactly is strength?
Is strength putting up with the degradation hoping for an end in sight or is it fighting back knowing that you’ll die? Is it living without dignity and hoping that someone will save you or speaking up and knowing your death will probably result? While I’m in no way minimizing Louis’ choices, does it take more strength to stand up knowing that you’ll not live to be rescued or more to stay quiet and wait? I’m not asking which is the smarter option; just thinking about the many facets of the concept of strength.
Is strength sometimes giving in? How much? For how long? At what cost?
While Jolie’s film centers around the strength of the human spirit, it skims the surface on the mental breakdown that impedes someone from fighting back. The Japanese broke Louis’ spirit, his fight, yet we saw it shine through every once in awhile. Would there have been a story chronicling his strength had he died shortly after being captured? Is his story only being told because of his survival?
All of my thoughts tend to come back to education and this is no different.
What about teachers?
Though teachers are in no way living in POW camps and fighting to stay alive, I do know firsthand that they are experiencing mental and psychological degradation. Is fighting for something worth your own mind and your dignity and is that what the captors in systems of education are really hoping for? Are they purposefully surmising that teachers will once again, give away their own minds in hopes to “save” their students. After all, innocents need protection; don’t they?
It does sound melodramatic as I reread and reflect upon my parallels comparing a POW camp survivor with a teacher who clearly has the ability to quit at any time. Superficially, there’s no comparison. But, as I watched Unbroken, I waited for no, willed Louis and his fellow prisoners to fight back. They far outnumbered their captors. While weapons may be more powerful than a broken down prisoner, the prisoners’ inner strength, frustration, and will to live should have overpowered the guns and the men following orders holding them. Surely, that battle of wills could have happened. Could they have escaped? Maybe, maybe not, but I just kept thinking…..WHY NOT FIGHT?
Back to current day…..there have been many teachers who have fought back. But there are many more who keep quiet….biding their time.
Here, here, here, here, and here are several examples, but putting aside the several teachers who vocally fought back, there are millions more who have chosen to quietly leave (myself included), retire, or stay silent.
The teachers who are still in the system with smiles slapped on their faces dying inside every day are the ones I’m concerned about most. I see myself in them just a few years ago. They don’t want to quit. They want to teach, but learning is gone and they’ll tell you so very privately. Yes, there are schools where teachers are supported, but even in those, the principals are taking a chance and will come under the proverbial gun as time goes on. Face it, education is imploding. If you or someone you know won’t admit that education is broken, I’d worry about that person even more.
How many teachers are marking time waiting for their captors to die so they can again enjoy life and their work again? How many teachers are staying because to leave means to desert their “innocents” in the hands of the system? How many are putting their students ahead of their own health and family stability?
So, should teachers mark time, live with the degradation and humiliation and wait for a rescue that may or may not ever happen?
Or, is it time to make an escape?
If massive amounts of teachers escaped, would the education system fall?
There’s one way to find out.
Meschooling 