I hope this fits in Social Issues.
Anyway, my school education was entirely in the catholic system in Australia. The first six years of primary (elementary) school was with nuns, and the last six with Marist Brothers. It is only now that I am connecting the dots.
All I remember of the nuns was their cold, bitter demeanor. Any question about religion (like my sincere question about "what is adultery" when told about the commandments) were treated with utter contempt. I guess they taught me to read and write.
My six years with the Marist Brothers left me with no positive memories at all. I have a sister who is a school principal and two daughters who are teachers, and none believe me, but it's true. All I remember is the intimidating brothers and sadistic bullies.
I was bullied daily (the Brothers knew). I was younger than most, shorter and with no athletic ability (that came later). But I just carried on and topped my grades year after year.
Anyway, years 11 and 12 were critical then as now. Back then they had three levels, one, for the true brainiacs, two for those destined for university, and three for the rest, who no matter how well they went, would never go to university. I was put in level 3. When I asked why, I was told that it was a school decision. At the final year exams, I completed each three hour exam in under 30 minutes. And passed. And started my first job in a factory.
Soon after I visited an employment agency which looked my sad scores, and sent me off for an IQ test (this was the late 60s). When I went back for my results, the administrator, clearly angry asked "why were you doing level 3?" I said I didn't know. He said that I was in the top 1% and said I should be in university doing medicine or engineering.
It is only now that I have realised that it was my decision in year 9 to decide not to go to weekly confessions and the four or five masses a year that sealed my fate. The brothers punished me, and now 50 years later, I am about to take them on.
And for those who say "IQ tests mean nothing", you have a point. But I joined the public service in the 1970s and in my 30s was the youngest person to progress to the Senior Executive Service. So I was no numpty.
Anyway, I have now decided to take on the Marist Brothers. 50 years too late, but they are still teaching children, and should be held to account.
Anyway, my school education was entirely in the catholic system in Australia. The first six years of primary (elementary) school was with nuns, and the last six with Marist Brothers. It is only now that I am connecting the dots.
All I remember of the nuns was their cold, bitter demeanor. Any question about religion (like my sincere question about "what is adultery" when told about the commandments) were treated with utter contempt. I guess they taught me to read and write.
My six years with the Marist Brothers left me with no positive memories at all. I have a sister who is a school principal and two daughters who are teachers, and none believe me, but it's true. All I remember is the intimidating brothers and sadistic bullies.
I was bullied daily (the Brothers knew). I was younger than most, shorter and with no athletic ability (that came later). But I just carried on and topped my grades year after year.
Anyway, years 11 and 12 were critical then as now. Back then they had three levels, one, for the true brainiacs, two for those destined for university, and three for the rest, who no matter how well they went, would never go to university. I was put in level 3. When I asked why, I was told that it was a school decision. At the final year exams, I completed each three hour exam in under 30 minutes. And passed. And started my first job in a factory.
Soon after I visited an employment agency which looked my sad scores, and sent me off for an IQ test (this was the late 60s). When I went back for my results, the administrator, clearly angry asked "why were you doing level 3?" I said I didn't know. He said that I was in the top 1% and said I should be in university doing medicine or engineering.
It is only now that I have realised that it was my decision in year 9 to decide not to go to weekly confessions and the four or five masses a year that sealed my fate. The brothers punished me, and now 50 years later, I am about to take them on.
And for those who say "IQ tests mean nothing", you have a point. But I joined the public service in the 1970s and in my 30s was the youngest person to progress to the Senior Executive Service. So I was no numpty.
Anyway, I have now decided to take on the Marist Brothers. 50 years too late, but they are still teaching children, and should be held to account.
via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/0X4Lud5
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