Superintendent’s Chat

Richard McClements, Shonto Preparatory School

Every year in northern Sweden, there is an event (actually a myth) where hoards of lemmings, a small weasel type animal, allegedly jump off cliffs into the ocean and drown. One after another, they follow the animal ahead of them to their doom. You would think that if they had the reasoning power of humans, they would question the wisdom of following some traditions that just don’t make sense.

One of the greatest gifts that God gave each of us is our individuality. No one on this earth is quite like you. Of all the billions of people who have lived and died over the centuries, you are unique. There never was another you.

As pre-teens approach and move into adolescence, there is a compelling need among almost all to seek their identity, to rebel against parental discipline, and to seek to fit into the group. It is a period of confusion, insecurity, and self doubt. Members of the opposite gender suddenly become appealing. Bodies change and youngsters experience emotional highs and lows.

Every teen faces the decision of how to deal with his or her individuality. Most do not pursue their own uniqueness but instead behave like lemmings and do what the group does. If some kid in Arkansas wants to be unique and shave the letter “Q” in his hair. Another kid in Alabama may hear of it and shave his head to represent the letter “Q.” As I look at it, the only one who was unique and original was the guy from Arkansas. The guy from Alabama was simply a “copy cat.”

Once teenagers do what everyone else is imitating from someone else, you are being nothing but a “lemming” in your thinking. What boys in their right minds would pierce both their ears and insert earrings. Only those who think it is cool to make a this kind of statement. I’ll never understand why anyone would put a stud through their tongue. What is cool about wearing a baseball cap backwards. It began with blacks. Now every one does it. If I were a teen today, I might write the names of all of my girlfriends on it in purple ink, or I might wear a hat that is completely different, such as with the bill cut into circles. The point is, if you want to state your individuality, you do something that is unique to you. You don’t do what everybody else is doing. Otherwise, you are just being a lemming.