Sparty's Struggles
The heinousness of the Nassar reign of terror is over. At least, there will be no new victims. It will never be over for the survivors. We must never forget that. They told us, and at long last, we listened. Judge Aquilina was amazing.
But for all the catharsis that might attach to the testimony we heard, pain will persist for these women, and girls, and their families. Parents who could not protect them, and significant others who cannot console them, are added to the victim list. Collateral damage, it's called in war. A cold term, for sure, but conceptually helpful to frame the horror.
And I wonder about the children these women have, and will have. I'm so moved by Rachel Denhollander's recounting of her view of her daughters. How incredibly sad it all is.
So now, we await the Eaton County sentencing, and wonder where the monster will be residing, and whether he'll commit suicide, and whether other experiences await him, behind bars.
And the press turns rapidly away from those considerations toward continuing pressure on the institution, well, one of the institutions, that provided cover for the monster, to determine what was going on systemically, and to try to ferret out the "why". The resignations of Simon and Hollis, and the ham-handed, bone-headed, and completely ridiculous actions and words of the president and the board should give rise to all manner of speculation on this point. If that's the best they can do, given the survivors' testimony we all heard, how else did they fail over the past twenty years, or more?
To jump back a bit, I've been reading tons of articles, listening to news reports, watching videos, watching now two basketball games, and watching both Dantonio and Izzo face reporters. I've responded via email to a number of groups and individuals, and I'm at a point where I can't keep track any more of what I've said, and to whom.
Thus, I'm going to blog about this, not that I think I have anything of great merit to add, but because I care about this University, and public service, and a host of other issues that touch on these struggles. I've worked hard to help poorly performing schools to improve, I've thought about discipline and crime and punishment, and I have ground zero news feeds that many friends do not. Those who have fled the cold winters, or established themselves in other areas many years ago, are asking me, Hecker, what the fuck is going on?
So although the Internet allows for detailed monitoring from afar, I'm going to blog about the issues and my perspectives sort of as an addendum. As folks I teach tech to complain about being inundated with emails, I always commiserate, and share that I set aside time first thing in my day to delete as many emails as possible, to keep my inbox under 400.
Similarly, nobody needs to read this blog, but the neat thing is, you won't have it in your inbox, either.
More later today, which turned out to be a snow day! Woo hoo for the kids and teachers!!!
But for all the catharsis that might attach to the testimony we heard, pain will persist for these women, and girls, and their families. Parents who could not protect them, and significant others who cannot console them, are added to the victim list. Collateral damage, it's called in war. A cold term, for sure, but conceptually helpful to frame the horror.
And I wonder about the children these women have, and will have. I'm so moved by Rachel Denhollander's recounting of her view of her daughters. How incredibly sad it all is.
So now, we await the Eaton County sentencing, and wonder where the monster will be residing, and whether he'll commit suicide, and whether other experiences await him, behind bars.
And the press turns rapidly away from those considerations toward continuing pressure on the institution, well, one of the institutions, that provided cover for the monster, to determine what was going on systemically, and to try to ferret out the "why". The resignations of Simon and Hollis, and the ham-handed, bone-headed, and completely ridiculous actions and words of the president and the board should give rise to all manner of speculation on this point. If that's the best they can do, given the survivors' testimony we all heard, how else did they fail over the past twenty years, or more?
To jump back a bit, I've been reading tons of articles, listening to news reports, watching videos, watching now two basketball games, and watching both Dantonio and Izzo face reporters. I've responded via email to a number of groups and individuals, and I'm at a point where I can't keep track any more of what I've said, and to whom.
Thus, I'm going to blog about this, not that I think I have anything of great merit to add, but because I care about this University, and public service, and a host of other issues that touch on these struggles. I've worked hard to help poorly performing schools to improve, I've thought about discipline and crime and punishment, and I have ground zero news feeds that many friends do not. Those who have fled the cold winters, or established themselves in other areas many years ago, are asking me, Hecker, what the fuck is going on?
So although the Internet allows for detailed monitoring from afar, I'm going to blog about the issues and my perspectives sort of as an addendum. As folks I teach tech to complain about being inundated with emails, I always commiserate, and share that I set aside time first thing in my day to delete as many emails as possible, to keep my inbox under 400.
Similarly, nobody needs to read this blog, but the neat thing is, you won't have it in your inbox, either.
More later today, which turned out to be a snow day! Woo hoo for the kids and teachers!!!
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