A colleague related a story of some people she was with who knowingly parked their cars in a business' parking lot to attend an event not associated with the business, under signs warning that such conduct would result in the vehicle's getting towed. When they returned, one of the cars was being towed. They were able to get the car back on the spot, but still had to pay a 3-figure fee for its having begun the towing journey.
They were furious enough that they complained to the business manager--offering some sort of lame explanation about it having been a community event, after all--and were reimbursed the towing fee and given a sizable gift card to the business.
How in the world, you may ask, does this have anything to do with education?
Two things. First, standardized test scores can go hang if our education system doesn't do something about this kind of corrosive self-absorption. Second, and more importantly, how can "education" (the system, individual teachers, etc.) do anything about such corrosive self-absorption when our society simply swims in such ridiculous justifications for insanely selfish behavior?
How in the world are a bunch of maligned and beleaguered teachers going to do anything about the teenage children of people who do such a thing as this? And yes, this does affect standardized test scores. If a self-absorbed school student doesn't see a need to apply him or herself to school work and test readiness, then s/he won't, and too often there's little available to compel greater attentiveness, especially in the face of such well-honed self-justification machinery.
Ask any teacher you know. They can tell you any number of stories of such selfishness, responsibility-avoidance, and blame-deflection.
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