Integrity Among Educators

A relative, who is a retired educator, sent this link to today’s post by a blogger with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It covers a breaking scandal in the Atlanta public school district where, from the superintendent on down, there was a culture of corruption to cheat on the state-mandated standardized tests, including intimidating teachers who failed to do what it took to raise scores or who objected to the unethical practices.

Higher Ed is not immune to these types of pressures, especially in the current economy. Believe it or not, many schools have funding models where students who fail classes cost the university money and the higher the graduation rate, the better the financial picture. On the surface, this sounds like a good idea. However, reality can be very different.

Intellectual Property

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

                                                                                                                                                Matthew 10:16

Occasionally I have the opportunity to teach students about the value of protecting one’s intellectual property. Today I handled two cases of academic integrity issues where one lab partner cut their partner’s work from wholesale cloth.

Inspiration in the Mundane

Today, one of my dearest friends from grad school and fellow blogger, Heather Holleman, celebrates the 1^st birthday of her blog Living with Flair. Like me, she posts daily, and in today’s post, she describes how she finds the inspiration for writing something at least approaching profound every day.

“What's it going to look like to embellish with wonder and deeply infuse the ordinary with some spiritual reality? Can I do this again today in the midst of the humdrum and the common routines?

I've taken on the spiritual discipline of finding God's truth reflected in the ordinary object:  acorns, a cat's injured eye, a snowflake, a wandering albatross. I find that bit of truth that shows me, by analogy, a kingdom reality.

The ordinary day shimmers with God's radiance. The mundane does indeed become marvelous, and we simply have to worship.”

She hits the nail on the head. There are often times, I am sitting at my computer, wanting nothing more than to shut down for the night and crawl into bed and let the mattress wick away the day’s cares. BUT, I have one more task to do--I have to think of a topic, write about it, and post it. What in the world will it be? So, I start praying and thinking over my day, which in itself is a remarkably worthwhile activity for anyone. Usually something will stick out like that one grain of sand on the beach that catches the sun just right, flashing like a miniature diamond.

I look at the event, memory, website, whatever, figure out a starting point and begin to write. It is amazing how often I have to go back and change the original title because where I ended up isn’t where I planned to go. But when you are creating while in an attitude of prayer and receptiveness, it is amazing what reveals itself out of the strangest things.

Do we approach our teaching and research in a similar manner? Do we look for solutions to problems through prayer and opening our eyes to the world around us or are we stuck in an endless “IF..THEN” or “WHILE…DO” loop. The beauty of interdisciplinarity is bringing new ideas from different fields together to solve new problems. Why not be interdisciplinary in our whole lives? That is the mark of literal integrity—our lives are unified, each part informing the others, seeking inspiration for problems, sharing success, diluting failure. I think this is part of why Christ used parables—He used familiar things and situations in new ways to bring new awareness on old problems. As Heather says, ‘finding God’s truth reflected in the ordinary object.’

Congratulations, Heather, on your first blogyear! May many more flow flairfully from your keyboard and God’s Spirit.

SDG

Integrity

Integrity:  the quality or state of being complete or undivided

I recently sent out invitations to a Christmas party I am having this year. I invited several colleagues from my department, and this produced a problem. To the best of my knowledge, they are not believers, and some may be somewhat antagonistic towards Christianity. Most in my department suspect/know I am a believer. Yet as I worded the online invitation, which went to mostly other Christians, but not exclusively, I really wrestled with my wording. Given that this is Christmas and not some unnamed winter holiday, I saw no reason to be politically correct…except, for them.

I typed what I basically wanted to say, then looked at it over and over. I started with, “Given how chilly this month has been already, now seems like a good time to warm the house and celebrate the advent of Christ. Please come with your family and celebrate His blessings of home and salvation!” but ended up keeping, “Given how chilly this month has been already, now seems like a good time to warm the house and celebrate the advent of Christ. Please come with your family and celebrate His blessings!”

I still struggle a little with whether I should have kept the original or not. I dropped the ending for a couple of reasons, one good, and one based out of fear. The fearful reason was not wanting to come across as ‘too extreme’ for my colleagues. The good one was that I’m throwing a party, not a worship service, and I want all of my guests comfortable. We celebrate Christmas for a reason, and I won’t let go of that. Yet also, one of the blessings of such celebrations is extending fellowship to all where appropriate, not remaining in a ‘holy huddle.’

As a non-tenure track contingent faculty, I am conscious of having a certain exposure to political whims, but in Whom do I trust? At the same time, He calls us to be as innocent as doves, yet wise as serpents. I conclude when I think over it, that I haven’t hidden who I am (or Who’s I am), while at the same time trying to be wise about the world in which I move. Were my motives perfect? No way. Is my solution good, true and sufficient? There is room for debate.

And a lot of room for God’s grace to work in my life and theirs.

SDG