The lack of good judgment in the private lives of teachers, police officers, and elected officials should be plastered on the front page of the local newspapers, because they are held to a higher standard in the public eye.
Why teachers? Well, teachers have a significant influence over the students of our community, and they are “looked up to,” in the eyes of students. For example, if a teacher expresses her views about a presidential candidate, students will take note, and are probably going to see that particular candidate in the same light ? just because Mrs. “So and so” said so. Why? Because kids learn from the opinions of their teachers, just as if they were facts.
If students can remotely assume that it is the opinion of their teacher that drinking and driving is OK, might they assume that same opinion? For example, if it is widely known that their teacher has a few drinks every Friday after school with her friends, surely people will assume that she has to drive home. Right? Does this send a message that drinking and driving is OK? Well, if it does, I can tell you that seeing a teacher”s DUI arrest plastered on the front page of the local newspaper surely tells everyone that it”s not OK to drink and drive and reverses the opinion that maybe it is OK to drink and drive.
What if a teacher or vice principal catches a student with alcohol on campus, but he or she was recently arrested for DUI? How does that play out in the minds of students? In this situation, will the student respect the lesson that the teacher or vice principal is giving them, or will they simply say “You hypocritical drunk, who are you to tell me that alcohol on campus is a violation?” I hope that the newspaper continues to responsibly inform the public of the criminal activity of those whom we hold accountable for having very sound and responsible judgment, holding sensitive positions.
Richard Roberts
Clearlake
