Valentine to educators

(2/2024) A French teacher once said to our class "French is not a translation of English." One of my classmates was trying to say a simple phrase such as "I am excited to go to the movies with you this weekend."

Verbs, adverbs and adjectives run in a different order in different languages, and the student was struggling with the basic grammatical differences between English and French. Each culture on Earth has developed language over centuries, some over millennia. The quote has stuck with me ever since. It is a great reminder that there is so much happening under the surface of our actions.

Educators—teachers, librarians, mentors, original thinkers—know that we are not translations of each other, and that the values of a shared country can have different interpretations in daily life.

Educators are keepers of books, and beautiful words such as freedom. In our current phase of social and political disagreement it is worth noting the complexity of human nature illustrated in the different meanings of a single word. We learn the history of freedom in libraries and schools. From the Magna Carta, through the Separatists, to the US Constitution, human societies in the Western Hemisphere have hammered out governing documents that have sought to impose order when balancing the rights of citizens with the demands from, and the responsibilities of government.

We keep definitions of two groups of Americans in big boxes with tight lids, perhaps to avoid cross pollination of thoughts. One set of freedoms for Conservatives and one set of freedoms for Liberals. Independents, Greens, Others don’t get a box yet, but the other two certainly want your votes.

Educators know that there is not one set of beliefs to fit the experience of every person, box or no box.

Freedom of religion, of speech, where to live, choose a profession, spend leisure time, travel, love, marriage and family. Everyone wants these.

Educators know that there are infinite ways for people to express themselves in the written word and visual art. Inspiration for expression comes from life experience and experiencing works by others.

The books 1984 by George Orwell and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury are literary classics. They each tell a cautionary tale of what it might be like to live under an authoritarian government. In 1984 the populace is forbidden freedom of thought. In Fahrenheit 451 the populace is forbidden exposure to creative thoughts. Every person doomed to mentally live inside their own boxed mind. Until someone breaks free, at least for a while. Freedom always exists, while elusive to have.

Educators know we don’t read books to become the lead character. We read to find more of our own character. We relate to characters in a story so we can be more solid in real life. Fahrenheit 451 is a cautionary tale of destroying literature that someone declares unworthy. Most readers might not see themselves as the lead, the "fireman" Guy Montag, who burns books in his job of keeping order in society. In him we can see the trap of the darker side of human nature, and that human nature is in each of us. Educators know that we have to face our fears to become fearless. Perhaps most of all when the fear is how we might react in our own society.

Both of these authors were inspired by personal experience. In Orwell’s case, there is a new book about him, Burma Sahib by Paul Theroux. Described in a Washington Post review by Nick Hilden, "…Paul Theroux imagines the life of young Eric Blair (the future George Orwell) when he was a novice police officer in colonial Burma." Orwell, as a young man, learned the subtle and not so subtle impact the British Empire had on populations around the world. You can reserve a copy of Burma Sahib on the Libby app for the Frederick County Public Library. At this moment there is a ten week wait. Twelve after me.

Educators know this bounty of human expression exists, and pave our way to discovery. They invite our comparison of ideas, so we can learn from the people who acted on ideas. We learn from literature and history.

The best Valentine gift to any educator would be to ban book bans.

The best educators lay paths for us to discover the meaning of what's going on around us. Banning books, taking full authoritarian control, has never ended well for societies of the world. A banned book is a stolen book, and robs each of us of an opportunity to understand ourselves, as individuals and as a group.

Our beliefs are not carbon copies of each other. It is why freedoms for everyone is so important. It is why freedom of speech, religion and the press are enshrined in our Constitution and Amendments. For everyone, not just some of the people in one of our boxes.

Teacher, librarians and mentors know that we are not neat and tidy all the time, in every person. Humans are complicated. There are so many facets in our human nature. The conflicting groups into which we put ourselves are not mutually inclusive, exclusive, diametrically opposed, or mirror images of each other. As we find our way out of the current mess of piblic discourse, thank and support the educators among us.

French is not a translation of English. We Americans are not translations of each other.

True freedom means not being afraid of freedom for other people. What is America’s next step? Future educators will teach that lesson, one hopes.

2024 is the year of the vote. Please make it count.