Beaver Falls / Vannoy

I first heard about the Josh Vannoy Bronco's shirt "fiasco" on the radio while I was at work. I usually don't give much attention to the newscasts, but it caught my attention because it mentioned Beaver Falls High School. I live in Beaver Falls, and have two kids in that school, so my brain tuned in. I decided to do a quick web search and find out some more details. I was listening to KDKA radio at the time, so I looked there first. I found a really short "blurb" about it on that site, but today it has a little longer article. However, did I found a pretty lengthy article on the Denver Post. So I looked around some more and read a few more articles, and my first reaction (actually my second) was that this whole thing is blown out of proportion. I know the school, and a few of the teachers, not well, but I know them. I couldn't believe that a teacher could do that in my school. When I re-read the articles, I noticed a very 'down-played' comment. The teacher stated that the class was on diversity, and ethnicity, and that Josh "learned a lesson". I realized that while it was a harsh way to teach the lesson, that it was an important lesson... A lesson that I think that the media attention is washing away. Mr. Vannoy learned what it feels like to be discriminated against. I have been fortunate and I have never personally experienced it, and he has been given a special insight into how many people feel often! The problem is that in today's world we don't allow people to be "humiliated", to fail, or make mistakes. We are afraid of how these things may affect their self-esteem. Today our society does not get an opportunity to learn from our own hardships, because we are "helped" from experiencing them. I think this saps the strength from our culture, and creates a bunch of simpering weaklings. I talked with my son today, and he "heard" (meaning that this statement is all hearsay) from the school grapevine, that Mr. Vannoy doesn't really support the Broncos, and that he only wore it because he knew it would bother his teacher. I also heard that Mr. Vannoy is going to be interviewed on a few TV shows... It may have already happened. I wonder how many shows will give the teacher equal time? I bet Beaver Falls High School is going to lose a good teacher over what I am calling an over-reaction. It's sad because my kids may not get to experience a teacher that's willing to walk the line, push the envelope, and challenge them. Even if they never have this teacher, other teachers of the school will be much more leery in how they interact with the students.