Spinelessness?
I have fought for my country. Twenty two years in uniform serving to protect our democratic way of life, including service in combat. And once I left the Navy, I decided to become a teacher because I was so deeply, deeply worried about what was wrong with our schools and wanted to help fix them.
I am not amoral. I am a very moral person, in fact, an officer and a gentleman required by sworn oath to at all times, in all ways uphold a very high standard of morality and behaviour. And I do this in the classroom, and I insist on it from my students.
You do not know me. You have no idea what I stand for.
I utterly CONDEMN what this woman did at the age of nineteen and I do not think for one moment that she should be anywhere near children. I would have no problem with her being in prison as I think her crimes in 1973 would have justified life imprisonment.
But I am also a rational, thinking human being who isn't stupid enough to think that a person is always going to be the same person at the age of fifty two as they were at the age of nineteen. People can change, and this woman does seem to have changed.
I think homeschooling is a wonderful thing as it happens for parents who are able to do it. But not all parents can or will, and their kids need an education as well. I'm a teacher to help provide that. I teach in one of Australia's top private schools and work to help create moral, upstanding, dedicated, hardworking citizens for our society.
I think that is worth doing.
And I don't ever give up on a kid, whatever he does. They're not yet grown. They can always be helped. They can always change.
I haven't lost one yet.
People do change, so what? There are millions of examples of that kind of change. Good for her, and Godspeed.
But an award?
You're conflicted over this woman recieving an award? Just as this woman changed and rehibilitated her life, it looks looks like you've allowed your moral compass to influenced by something evil.
I notice that never once during your 'conflict' have you referenced the victim.
There is something I call 'moral instinict'. You know, the instant response to evil. This is such an easy call, that it isn't even a call to those with a moral compass.