Dear Editor,
This is what I witnessed as a parent of a teenager studying for exams at lessons.
Sir M, I hope you are open to constructive criticism and feedback from parents of children in your lessons. Sir, I always admired you and your vision and passion to see our children succeed academically and in life.
From our previous conversation, you struck me as someone not teaching for the love of money but for the love of children. Put differently, you want to make a profound difference and have a great impact on children’s lives, future and for that I am grateful and greatly appreciate and admire you.
So when I took my niece to lessons yesterday, Monday, I wasn’t aware that there wasn’t any lessons, but instead a big party with music, dancing, and I am sure that there was some hidden alcohol mixed in with coke in a cola bottle, though I cannot proved this because I didn’t stay for the party. But I know teenagers, and I am confident one or two of them would find a way to sneak in alcohol because I was a teenager.
Sir, I must be frank, honest and blunt with you, please forgive me for my bluntness if I offend you in any way that is not my goal. But I was angry when I went to your lessons, and I saw the children partying and having a good time. I was deeply offended by the example that the lessons was encouraging the children to party, celebrate and have a great time when they are facing a monumental task of doing well on their upcoming exams.
Sir, with all due respect, now is not the time to party and celebrate. Now is not the time to have fun. Now is not the time to socialize. Now is not the time to hang out with friends. Now is not the time to be dancing and drinking. Now is not the time for events like this.
Instead, Sir, now is the time to study, study and study some more for the exams. Now is the time to sacrifice. Now is the time to give up partying and dancing. Now is the time to spend every moment studying. Now is the time to be preparing for the exams. Now is the time to dig in and dig into the books. Now is the time to give up all social activities except for religious services.
If the children want to do well on the exams, now is the time to sacrifice. Without sacrifice, no one can succeed. I sacrificed 16 years of my life to get an education in order that I could succeed. I went from the classroom to the library to study and prepare for my exams and back to the classrooms. I never went to social events. I never went to parties. I sacrificed and therefore I succeeded.
We must teach our children if they want to succeed, they must be willing to sacrifice. If they want to win, they must be willing to work hard. They must be willing to sacrifice, train and prepare. No sacrifice no success.
As I close, I consider you a brother in the Lord, and for that reason, I was profoundly disappointed by what I saw at lessons yesterday. Please forgive me if I was too blunt. But we all have blind spots and perhaps this is your blind spot, and this is why you were unable to see it and maybe you were not there to see it.
Yours faithfully,
Anthony Pantlitz
