Do you teach your children to question authority?

[maveric]

I do and have been told by RW/fundie acquaintances that all kids should be told to respect ALL authority figure to turn them into good adults.
I dint tell my kids to disrespect authority but to think on their own because all authority figures are not correct and worthy of obligatory respect.
Am I irresponsible in my approach?

[NoSheep]

1. I don't have any but if I did, I would. I ALWAYS have.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

42. I do it in an indirect fashion

I often say to my daughters, "If anyone tells you XXX, it's a lie. No matter WHO says it. Be it a teacher, a priest, or the President."

XXX can be, for instance:

'people are poor because they're lazy'
'you will go to hell if you don't join religion YYY'
'correct spelling and grammar are unimportant'
'you should submit to your husbands'
'science made life worse'

and a variety of other stupid things that get thrown about by authority figures.

[Mutley]

2. i would say no

as long as - as you said - you don't teach them to DISRESPECT authority, and that some authority is good.

[maveric]

6. But not to follow lockstep to ANYor All authority figures.

I teach them that respect has to be earned.

[Tempest]

3. Oh hell yes

She brings home more notes from the principal than homework.

But she's always in the right so there's nothing they can do about it.


Like I tell my daughter, respect is earned, not given.

[KitchenWitch]

4. No, you are not out of line.

One can question authority without disrespecting it.

[billyskank]

5. Dunno. Judge it by its fruits.

Are they growing up thinking that there are no authorities worthy of respect (and nor is there any possibility of any)? Then I would say you have goofed. Otherwise not.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. Darn right I do - and I teach them to question me, as well

(i don't have children of my own, but I've always done this with my youth groups; though they also know that in issues of safety, light's out, etc., mine IS the final word - but in matters of politics, faith, or anything else, I teach them to question what they hear from others, and from what they hear from me, and ask " does this make sense?", "Is this just?")

[chickenscratching]

8. not at all

If only everyone would teach their children this!
I think it's a matter of teaching one to never assume, always question, even if it comes from someone that's supposed to know the answers, ie authority.

[Sequoia]

9. Yes, but it seems to backfire sometimes

when we're telling her to get her homework done.

However, she hasn't much respect for Bush and we hug her when she says something clever.

[maveric]

10. My sons have been in trouble at school for speaking bad of bu$h

and the administration. Told that the prez is to always be respected and never question during a time of war.
Yeah, a war that he started!

[JitterbugPerfume]

11. Just as long as

you are not teaching them to be little smart --ass know it all brats

[tigereye]

12. I try to teach him to respect others

and to ask questions. That seems a good middle ground.

[mcar]

13. I didn't have to teach him, he figured it out for himself

:shrug:

[expatriot]

14. I'd teach them that it comes with responsibilities and consequences

What follows are just some thoughts I had, I don't have any kids but it got me thinking....

First, there is a difference between the questioning of authority and the defiance of authority.

It is your responsibility to question authority when you believe that there are blatant corruptions and abuses of that authority, that it is your responsibility to decide whether compliance to authority serves the public good or diminishes it.

When you defy authority, be wholly prepared to face all the consequences that authority can raise against you: if the motivations behind your defiance are righteous then you will be persecuted righteously.

Never stop questioning your own authority to question authority: Do the consequences of your defiance of authority undermine the public good?

Defiance of authority should only be motivated out of concern for the rights of others and or the most basic rights of yourself. If the interest of others are at stake, err on the side of defiance; if it is only your interests at stake, err on the side of compliance.

[gizmo1979]

15. I don't just tell her to question authority

I tell her to question everything.The worlds full of bullshitting bullshitters who spread bullshit!And that's no shit!

[Abelman]

16. Depends

I work in a res hall for High Schoolers and most walk a fine line between disrespect and questioning.

I think respectful questioning is an important skill to learn. So many students and kids I work with think they're being subversive and clever when they're really just being little dicks. I give authority respect so they can get their job done, but I let them know when I disagree.

[bleedingheart]

17. What child doesn't? They really don't need a lesson in this...

their natural curiousity makes them question everything.

My kids are constant streams of questions...questioning my authority..I keep telling me that I am omnipotent..

[enigmatic]

18. I'm child-free but if I had one, absolutely

Especially these days.

[JimmyJazz]

19. Absolutely - Otherwise, that would make them targets for

stalkers and predators. They should question authority and should be taught that grown ups aren't always right.

[Nikia]

29. I agree

Teaching children to always obey authority figures is why teachers, coaches, youth leaders, clergymen, and others have such an easy time molesting children.

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. I teach my children to think things out...and respect that which deserves

respect. :hi:

EX. Last week the drug sniffing dogs were in my daughter's school (:wow:) This is a Catholic High School, where they tend to be heavy on the "don't question authority" rule. I told her to refuse next time and have them call me.

[MissMarple]

21. Question everything. Even reality.

I saw "Question Reality" on a bumper sticker. I think it makes a cetain amount of sense. And I try to impart that concept to my children. :-)

[skygazer]

22. On the contrary

I think you are very responsible.

I've always encouraged my children to think for themselves and to question the status quo. I've always taught them that everything, no matter how good it may seem, can be improved upon (my answer to those who tell me how grateful I should be to live in the United States - I'm very happy to live here but that doesn't mean I consider it a perfect place). A democracy, IMO, depends on people who can make informed decisions and think for themselves. That's much more difficult than travelling in lockstep or following orders.

[4_Legs_Good]

23. I tell them to shut their traps and get back in the cage

Their damned mother keeps letting them out.

Grrrrrrr...

:nuke:

david

[CaliforniaPeggy]

37. DAVID! You've returned!

(Sorry to threadjack, maveric!) How's the baby? and you? and your wife? I've been wondering when you might return! So glad to see you!


:hi:


Hope everything went well...!

[4_Legs_Good]

40. Hiya Peggy!

Good to hear from you. Yeah, I've been mostly absent for the past 3+ weeks. It's good to be back though!

Everything went well with the delivery and first couple weeks of the Baby's life, so I'm counting my blessings. The labor was only 4.5 hours (induced) vs. the 12.5 hours last time. It was still really, really hard, but definitely an improvement over the last one, and, barring any unforseen incidents, it'll be the last time we have to go through that.

All in all things are great (if exhausting).

:hi:

See you around more hopefully!

david

[CaliforniaPeggy]

43. David: please check your PM...nt

[gollygee]

24. I want my daughter to think for herself

if she mindlessly follows anything or anyone, I won't have done my job as a parent.

[Burma Jones]

25. Simple - Question Authority - EXCEPT YOUR FATHER

and Mother too.........

We do teach respect for individuals that hold positions of authority though. Teachers, Police, Coaches etc. But respect is not the same as blind obedience. Best part of being a half-Jewish household - the Judaic tradition of respectfully questioning authority figures.....

[fob]

26. YES! And the missus says it's gonna bite me in the arse one day

when *I* become the authority that is questioned. I on the other hand can't wait for that day, because that is the day I will get to demonstrate how a questioned authority should act. It won't be easy, but that's the whole point.

And I also teach respect, they aren't mutually exclusive ideals. In fact I would say questioning authority gives one a guage to determine how much respect that authority deserves.

[HEyHEY]

27. If you want the lawn cut you will

[6000eliot]

28. I teach my students to question authority

but I'm not sure that I'm doing them any favors.

[maveric]

30. My kids school system tends to not go that route when it comes to politics

In San Diego many of the teachers are administrators are ex-military or militart dependants and follow the RW/miliary industrial comples agenga lock-step.
We need more teachers like you. Your doing them a favor that they will appreciate later in life.

[6000eliot]

34. I hope so.

It's the only reason I do this, so that people develop minds of their own.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

36. I remember my dad telling me that the purpose of education is to

teach me how to think...I was still young (hs, I think) when he told me this, and it was a revelation to me. I wonder if today's schools are doing it? Somehow, I think not...

[6000eliot]

38. I fear not enough are

which, besides the obvious theft, explains why so many people voted against their own best interests in 2004.

[bertha katzenengel]

31. I think you're doing the right thing. My sisters have done the same

thing.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

32. Right now I'm just trying to teach him to use the potty. n/t

[redqueen]

33. No you're not.

I do the same.

[Tsiyu]

35. I teach them to pick their battles

Bearing in mind what their own goals are. Sometimes you have to shut the hell up until a more opportune time.

But if something is blatantly unfair or harms another, I hope they will stand up for what is right no matter who is in the wrong.

Yesterday, State Troopers were on the mountain again. They love to come up and harrass the mountain folk for some reason. It only really bothers me because I keep hearing that we don't have the funds for Homeland Security, to inspect shipping containers and guard nuclear power plants, but by golly we have the law enforcement to pull over three cars at the same time ( with two troopers' cars and a local unit) in a very tiny, tiny town.

One of them was my son's friend, driving my son to work at 4:30 in the afternoon. He failed to come to a complete stop, which warranted the ticket. $134. The kid works at Dollar General making around $50 a week.

But the Trooper chose to intimidate my son's friend ( who has long hair but is the sweetest kid on the planet - not a troublemaker, his mom works ar the post office in town, dad's a banker). Got right up in his face, asked if he was drinking. Asked if my two sons ( passengers) had been drinking, asked what they were doing?

What the hell? Since when is it suspicious for people who live in a town to drive around their own town at 4:30 in the afternoon, whether or not some Nazi trooper likes your age or your hairstyle? I'm not used to Nazis on the rock. It pisses me off, and I gave them a host of comebacks they could use next time.

But then i realized I could probably get away with a smartass comeback. They might get Gitmo, who knows with the way the country's gone?

So I amended my statements and told them to pick their battles.

[Bouncy Ball]

39. Here's the trick: it's a FINE line.

You have to teach them to respect authority when the authority in question is acting in a respectable manner, which would be, for a kid, most of the time.

However, when an authority figure is NOT acting in a respectable manner and is asking a kid to do something they know or think they shouldn't, it's ok to use your brain and question things.

Example: I used to teach low-income eighth graders. We had a coach and teacher on my team who would literally hit the kids in class. He would pinch their necks so hard he'd leave marks, he'd hit them on the head with their history book, he'd cuss and scream at them, I could do on and on.

Well, they'd come to me, pissed off, sometimes in tears, showing me their marks. I asked them if they thought this was ok. They always said no. Then I asked why they didn't get up, walk out of that class, go straight to the office, tell an adult there, and ask to call their parent?

They looked at me like I was CRAZY. They would NEVER do that. Well, I said, that's how he's allowed to get away with it.

They got the point. For the record, I did go to him and talk to him and he laughed and said it was all in fun and who was going to tell anyone anyway? Sadly he was right.

Until the day a girl DID get up and walk out. She was the wrong kid to treat that way. HER mom had taught her to question authority when it NEEDED QUESTIONING and her mom came up there wanting this guy's head on a platter.

He was fired after an investigation. Which was good, he did not need to be working with kids.

Kids need to know what is ok for an authority figure to ask them to do and what is NOT ok. And they need to know it's ok to stand up when things are not ok.

[knowbody0]

41. absolutely

i watched the boys get in line for viet nam, and knew teaching my kids to ask why was imperative, and to respect themselves, which is only possible when you follow the "greater good"