[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Eruwen, I went to a private school myself, and know what they can be like: like small towns, only smaller.

Let me explain to the rest of the crowd.

Guys, the flag-waving stuff works in large public schools, not private schools for a reason.

a) In public school, there's an anonymity in numbers, you're just one face in the crowd. Every hour you deal with different teachers. Next quarter will be a different set, next year still others. What you do, your individuality, is lost in it. Not completely, but to a large degree. Good or bad.

b) There's an expectation of homogenous views, when a school differs from the norm there's already pressure from the PTA to bring it in line.

c) There's a boredom with normalcy, so that once you start causing trouble, you won't be alone. Even people who don't care about the issue will join you, just for the sheer joy of it. Often you'll start something and it will snowball, and someone else will take over championing it.

d) Ultimately the power over public schools is the State. Principals are removable, and both the Pricipals and the teachers know this. This makes it possible for teachers to join your dispute, or at least agree with it. It makes Principals amenable to at least the appearance of listening.

In a private school..

a) People know you. There's that close student-to-teacher ratio. For education and individuality this is good. But you have a long-term relationship with these people, and have to consider how what you say will effect them not just for this quarter, but next year and the year after that. You're not lost in the sea of faces, but everything you do, even subtle things, stand out in stark relief. And you have to live with it for the long haul.

c) Other kids are aware of this, and are less likely to jump on board a cause. In fact they tend to get ****ed off and irritated if you rock the boat.

b) Private schools pride themselves on being different, so aren't pushovers to public opinion. If they were the same as public schools, there would be no reason to send your children there. These schools are molded by the opinions and views of those who run them. And they're proud of it. Conservative schools tend to think of themselves as 'molding impressionable children' and are less likely to listen to their students than most places. Liberal private schools are the opposite.

Private schools are, however, as someone rightly pointed out, very vulnerable to the opinion of the paying parents. Especially right now in a spooky economy. But one set of paying parents has little influence.

d) The ultimate authority in most private schools is the Principal. Both the Principal and the Teachers are aware of this. This means teachers watch their fannies and won't join your fight, even if they personally agree you. They follow their leader with apparently cult-like devotion, and keep their quarrels with him amongst themselves. Principals do not feel any pressure to maintain even the appearance of listening. This gives a lot of flexibility too, though. If you convince him of something, the policy changes overnight, no questions.

What works then is direct, private, polite conversation. Sigh. Usually between the paying parents and the principal, not the kids.

So where does that leave you? Know your enemy. Eruwen likely knows who she's dealing with, her own influence, and her likelihood of changing the man's mind.

Eru, are you the only one concerned about the Lord of the Rings being banned? Anyone else interested in reading 'Finding God in the Lord of the Rings'? Any parents who might be concerned about this?

-Maril