originally published by Great Black Speaker’s Bureau, November 23, 2013

Slick Rick did it best, and Outcast was a classic as well—the Art of Storytelling. Though the title strikes instant memory of my favorite hip hop artists, the context goes much deeper. The art of storytelling is a time-honored skill that has preserved the history and heritage of many people, places, things, and events. It has also motivated thousands to action with heroin tales of overcoming obstacles against all odds. It is still an art, just de-valued when diminished to a host of elaborate excuses to escape responsibility. Even if there is validity to the story, I still beg to question, what is the desired outcome wished to be reached?

The desired outcome we have for our children should be to produce responsible and critical thinking contributors to society. That does not need discussion of academia verses vocation, since any career or occupation serves as a contribution to society and takes problem solving skills to accomplish. It is simple task mastery, whether intellectually or manually—functioning in society.

How do we accomplish contribution to society in education? Do we finish a task that the student does not want to perform or force others to do it for them? If the student does not have the skill to accomplish the task, do we teach the skill or perform the skill for them and just allow them to watch on the sideline? If the child is unhappy with a situation, do we fix the situation or the child? Situations are too unpredictable to control; however, if we teach the child to meet any situation, we can rest assure that the child will endure.

The true problem with the “art of storytelling” is that it is lacking in solutions and intent to act. In most cases where extra time and care has been spent into crafting the perfect story, there is never attached an equally thought through plan of action. We can build compassion and understanding for misfortune, but how should we proceed from there? What is the desired outcome?   Should we forget about the issue or give a free pass? It seems that some stories are shared to rationalize bad behavior or lack of effort. Should we allow the behavior to continue or offer a reward “just because…”?

What we also fail acknowledge are the undertones to the desired outcomes. You may be looking to catch a break not realizing that you are teaching escape instead of endurance. Arbitrary rewards with no accountability presents the false sense of entitlement and a false perception of the norm. We should be offering solutions that will lead a child to learning how to function in society; not offering excuses for why the student should not meet the expectations. Not meeting the expectations mean not reaching the desired outcome that we should agree as being a contributor to society. I would have never made it out of the projects if I was always justified for being a poor, black male from a low-income single parent family of eight instead of being challenged to endure and overcome.

As the generation of “story-tellers” has entered the real world, we see an increase of the deepening of conflict to the point of pointless rants, raves, conspiracies, and sabotage. Politics have transformed to a similar condition in that sides blame, bicker, and make excuses to relinquish themselves of the responsibilities of the mishaps that are public policy—the policies that dictates our wellbeing. I still await someone to step up and offer real solutions that surpass the pettiness of party lines, class lines, or even racial lines. I often ask myself, is this evidence of a trend that indeed has been filtered through the education system into real life?

In my humble opinion, if we simply replace accountability in the schools and homes, we will offer the expectations a child needs to be prepared to face the world and solve its problems. School should be training for life. What outcomes are we currently preparing student to reach—getting accommodated for what they can’t accomplish; creating a diagnosis for what they can’t accomplish; lowering the expectations for what they can’t accomplish; holding others accountable for what they can’t accomplish? We should teach them conflict resolution, problem solving, and endurance. It has to start somewhere.