Job Discussion Forums

[Sashadroogie]

Recently, I listened to a colleague who explained to me that he could not take a corporate class that was involved in manufacturing parts for the armaments industry. I must admit I was intrigued, as he didn't seem to show any qualms when asked to teach groups in alcohol or tobacco firms. But it got me to wondering how many other teachers have moral concerns, if any, about helping students improve their English, if what the students do professionally, outside of the classroom, might be seen as, or might even really be, somehow dubious. Especially if by using English the learners somehow increase thier ability to be morally suspect.

Any comments most welcome, except by my insubordinate colleague whom I have had to have let go....

[Deicide]

[spiral78]

It's not exactly the same, but I've had a few qualms teaching Saudi students who tend to express some very anti-western views in the course of language building...

Though I very much doubt they are going out to use their English to wreak any kind of destruction.

[Deicide]

[mozzar]

Learning another language can only be a good thing; it makes communication easier and allows students to access new ideas, perhaps changing their views in the process. I would happily teach almost anyone.

[spiral78]

hmmm...I periodically have flashes of responsibility and file whatever years I've missed. However, I'm quite likely to give up US citizenship in future, so I'm not especially motivated.

For certain, I don't owe the US any taxes, never having made anywhere near 80,000 USD in any given year (yeah, I know the numbers change, but it's always far more than my income bracket)

[gaijinalways]

No, my concept of ethics have long since disappeared, ever since I entered the situational ethics zone of Japan.

Actually, I'm not sure students here would be morally changed by acquiring another language, so I guess I would have no objections, though my friend did turn down a Yakuza boss who lived in his building.

Not sure if he was worried about corrupting that guy's morals, since the guy appeared to have none (or less than my friend, anyway ). My friend might have been more worried about having to make promises he wouldn't want to keep in the future .

[Cool Teacher]

Wow! Goog thing he didn't get an offer he couldn't refuse!

[Global Hobo]

I personally wouldn't teach military/government personnel within brutal regimes; Israel, Burma, DPRK, USA(?) etc.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

people can make their own personal choices on who or where to teach, i wouldnt argue with that.

but refusing to teach people with connections to brutal regimes isnt going to make those regimes (and perhaps those students) any less brutal. if anything, by teaching them, you'll get to understand one another better. this is a basic tenet of conflict resolution brought down to a low level - understanding or being able to see the world through the eyes of the other side. or look at it in this slightly more cynical way: "Know thy enemy."

i've heard a couple of people in china claim that they didnt want to teach chinese students because they feared that the chinese were going to "take over the world." anyone who understands international relations, and china itself, knows that is clearly not going to happen.

a common language is a bond that can, and has, brought people closer together. that's the way i look at it.

[80daze]

I was offered a job recently when I was in Tibet (Lhasa). The students were from the security forces (police/army etc..), when you are there you will see the hostility that the Tibetan people have for these occupiers, you will see that in every temple there are more soldiers than monks (I saw very few monks in Lhasa).

I would like to have worked there but I could not and would not teach those who are forcing there own culture on others whilst dismantling and oppressing the Tibetans culture.

I know my stance has no affect what so ever on the big picture of what is going on there and that someone will teach them English but it isn't me!

[Chris_Crossley]

[jdl]

Never really understood the logic of the following:

"Millions are going without food...I will not eat until the world hunger problem is solved"
"Children are suffering around the world...how can I bring a child into this?"
" Gays have the right to marry in my mind so in protest I will not marry my girlfriend of many years til Gay marriage is legal in all states."
" I do not support arms manufacturing, trade or "dealing' in any form so I will not teach (talk to, recognize as human, patronize, substitute your own protest verb here) anyone who is associated with this practice.
"I will cut off my nose to spite my face"
"Abortion is murder and I will become murderously violent with its proponents"
"No health care is better than Obama (again substitute your own protest adjective here) care"


Perhaps ethical stands should have a sense of internal logic to them, to at least present the appearance of a maturing intelligence. Oh life in such a simple black and white CNN/Fox type world where fear drives decisions and moral centeredness is determined by poll.

[Global Hobo]

I think a few of the posters here may have been playing Heal the World in the background as they typed out their love-and-peace posts. In the words of the great Eric Theodore Cartman; it's all a bunch of hippie tree-hugging crap.

We're English teachers. We teach people English. Let's not inflate our egos, we're not prophets of a language that will finally make people understand the pain they cause if only we could just communicate with each other.

North Koreans can communicate with each other just fine.. they also have a gulag the size of Belgium. If we all spoke one language we'd still be massacring and torturing each other around the world. If it all came down to sorry pal, didn't mean to torture you there, just didn't quite get what you were saying then I'd be skipping to work every morning, clicking my heels.

By teaching certain military figures language skills, you may enable them, or the people they go on to teach to be better spies, interrogators or intelligence officers. You enable a force which tortures/rapes/massacres to be more efficient in their execution of duties. Well done then, give yourself a pat on the back!

[Global Hobo]