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Unread 02-05-2016, 11:23
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ToddF ToddF is offline
mechanical engineer
AKA: Todd Ferrante
FRC #2363 (Triple Helix)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Rookie Year: 2011
Location: Newport News, VA
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Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein

Quoted from the FIRST Mentoring Guide. (If you've never read it, do so.)

"It is important for every adult to remember that there are responsibilities that come with the adult/student relationship. Young people look up to people they trust and respect and will look to mentors as their role models, and they will closely watch the adults’ actions and see their behavior as appropriate.

An adult may think that he or she is showing camaraderie and will fit in with a group of students by using the same offensive language the students use among their peers, and the reaction of the students may make the adult feel like he or she is part of the group. But what the adult is really “saying” is that inappropriate language is ok."

The FIRST organization's choice of spokespersons reflects on the organization. We tell our students that when they are at events, wearing our team's T-shirts, they are representatives of our team, and their behavior and language should reflect the team's values.

Was I surprised that Will said what he did? No. I've listened to his music. (And quite like some of it.) Anyone who had also done so shouldn't have been surprised. Musicians and performers use language like that in their music and on stage all the time. I consider it to be pandering to the audience in an attempt to elicit a specific type of emotional response. As media savvy as Will is, I believe it was a preplanned comment, at least on his part. I certainly saw it coming as soon as he started his previous sentence.

I was more interested to observe the reactions of the FIRST officials around him. I found those reactions disappointing. I certainly now believe that the passage quoted in the mentor handbook to be hypocritical at best.
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Last edited by ToddF : 02-05-2016 at 11:28.
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