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Defying Expectations, Tuesday, Per 3
Tuesday, October 21st, 2014 05:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
glacial_queenTheir teacher was present when the class filed in. She was also dressed a lot more casually than normal, in a pair of beat up jeans and a ratty sweatshirt, both several sizes too large for her. Both pieces had been unwittingly donated from Jono's wardrobe back during his Decibel days, and certainly beat the several pieces of maternity wear she'd seen in a shop in Sidra.
Ugh. Pastels.
"Sorry for the last minute cancellation," she said once everyone had filed in. "I passed a law about hunting Arcerian cats..." She trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind. If you're really curious, you can talk to me after class. The upshot is that I missed class because a bunch of aristos get pissy and threw temper tantrums that I had to sort out. Word of warning for your futures: if you're ever in a position of authority over people, expect to get called in to referee fights. It's highly unlikely that you'll get them to agree, so if it doesn't happen, don't be overwrought about it."
See? Helping you set expectations to possibly defy later! Teacher of the year, right here.
"But rather than looking at the future, we're going to focus on the present today. There are a ton of expectations that you are facing just by being who you are, in whatever society you're in. There are expectations of behavior based on your age, your sex, your gender, your race, your socio-economic status, perhaps your religion or belief system. There are the expectations that your family has for you, your friends, your teachers here at Fandom, and people beyond that. Perfect strangers may have expectations for you, based solely on your appearance and their own internalized beliefs and prejudices. Some of those expectations make sense in society. Here at school, we expect you to be academically honest, fairly independent, and possessing enough sense to get in out of a rain of caramel sauce." Unless there was a fire drill scheduled, sigh. "We also expect you not to do things, like harm your fellow students or the people in town--at least, not without a damn good reason."
"But not all expectations are healthy, rational, or beneficial. Many of them can be hurtful to be on the receiving end of, and are generally no picnic to have in the first place. Not to defend racists, but it's got to be exhausting, wandering around afraid of people who don't look or think like you. So, today, a discussion class, focusing on the expectations that define your life right now, and whether or not you defy them and the consequences of doing so." She spread her arms. "For example, this is what I wore when dealing with audiences this morning. My Court was not best pleased with me, and I have a very stuffy Steward waiting for me to get home. But I was comfortable, so I'm thinking his lecture will be worth it. But did I lose anything in the eyes of my courtiers, or in your eyes by not being more appropriately dressed? Let's discuss."
Ugh. Pastels.
"Sorry for the last minute cancellation," she said once everyone had filed in. "I passed a law about hunting Arcerian cats..." She trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind. If you're really curious, you can talk to me after class. The upshot is that I missed class because a bunch of aristos get pissy and threw temper tantrums that I had to sort out. Word of warning for your futures: if you're ever in a position of authority over people, expect to get called in to referee fights. It's highly unlikely that you'll get them to agree, so if it doesn't happen, don't be overwrought about it."
See? Helping you set expectations to possibly defy later! Teacher of the year, right here.
"But rather than looking at the future, we're going to focus on the present today. There are a ton of expectations that you are facing just by being who you are, in whatever society you're in. There are expectations of behavior based on your age, your sex, your gender, your race, your socio-economic status, perhaps your religion or belief system. There are the expectations that your family has for you, your friends, your teachers here at Fandom, and people beyond that. Perfect strangers may have expectations for you, based solely on your appearance and their own internalized beliefs and prejudices. Some of those expectations make sense in society. Here at school, we expect you to be academically honest, fairly independent, and possessing enough sense to get in out of a rain of caramel sauce." Unless there was a fire drill scheduled, sigh. "We also expect you not to do things, like harm your fellow students or the people in town--at least, not without a damn good reason."
"But not all expectations are healthy, rational, or beneficial. Many of them can be hurtful to be on the receiving end of, and are generally no picnic to have in the first place. Not to defend racists, but it's got to be exhausting, wandering around afraid of people who don't look or think like you. So, today, a discussion class, focusing on the expectations that define your life right now, and whether or not you defy them and the consequences of doing so." She spread her arms. "For example, this is what I wore when dealing with audiences this morning. My Court was not best pleased with me, and I have a very stuffy Steward waiting for me to get home. But I was comfortable, so I'm thinking his lecture will be worth it. But did I lose anything in the eyes of my courtiers, or in your eyes by not being more appropriately dressed? Let's discuss."
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