Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

    In a season that usually celebrates promotional exercises and vacations I have grown fond of watching the endless pictures of graduations from preschool to college. I can't speak for everyone else but it makes me reminisce on adolescent memories, lost opportunities and life-long lessons! As I scroll through my news feeds and read the paper during this season I sometimes feel a sense of pride recognizing my career choice does matter ( even though I get horrible hours, make minimum wage, and am constantly ridiculed). Today I was stripped of such after reading Facebook posts about adolescent twin boys ( from St. Croix) that will not be able to participate in their graduation. While this was completely their own faults and choice according to reports by the associated press I'm shocked at the stance many have taken with regards to the consequences set forth by the U.S Virgin Islands Department of Education.

     Parents and teachers alike spent time coaching, training, and teaching adolescents to become responsible citizens that can contribute to our society beginning from the early years. We have become a society that makes excuses for our children rather than letting them learn.

    While it is sincerely terrible that these young men, the epitome of many of our young men, will be deprived of this epic opportunity they were given a choice and they had to choose what was best for their futures. It was all their choices from beginning to end.

    Just like the world we live in today everyone has to face the consequences of their actions. While the circumstances are unfortunate these young men have just received a life lesson they will never forget.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Curricula Standards & Benchmarks

Ethical Leaders Anyone?

Ethical Leadership Anyone?

U. S Virgin Islands Governor K. Mapp

Ethical leadership involves acting with moral purpose and integrity to do what is right, just, and fair in service of common good; they are genuine with themselves and others, they remain true to who they are and what they stand for (Weiss, 2011). The main characteristics of ethical leadership are authenticity and integrity. Authentic leaders have genuine desires to serve, they know themselves and lead from their values; they understand their purpose, have strong values about doing the right thing in work and in their lives and are passionate about their mission (George with Sims, 2007). Ethical leaders with integrity often illustrates an 'alignment between what one does and what one says; doing and saying should belong to the same whole' (Brown, 2005). Acting with integrity is the same as acting ethically or morally (DeGeorge, 1993). Notable examples of ethical leaders include but aren't limited to the Dalai Lama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Mohandas Gandhi, and Erykah Badu (a notable activist for youth engagement and development through the arts). As I mentioned in discussions, the most influential leader in our territory, the governor, is continuing to lose the confidence of the people and even the Senate committee due to unethical actions continuously arising since he took office in January. His actions have caused many of the nominees selected as commissioners and chairpersons resigning every month as a new scandal of some sort is making headlines again because of the governor lack of ethics. His lack of ethics and those who held the office before him set the precedence for every other aspiring politician within our territory including those who are the most impressionable, the youths.

Outside of our own governor and that he has recently become notable for, many of his cabinet/ administration's members are also under much needed scrutiny for their actions during the short tenure this administration has had. My main concerns are with all being discussed and the spotlights being 'lit' what exactly are these politicians and their aids doing to better serve the needs of the territories educational institutions? I have heard of the many strides made for UVI's medical program and think it great as nursing has become such a common occupation within the territory, but early childhood education is still not being addressed. Too many have to wait until they are of school age (five years old) to attend public school because Head Start programs have waiting lists by years and not enough facilities. 

 This sort of leadership has caused discord among our governments officials, the community at large and has even stopped initiatives and legislations from being practiced due to hardball being played between too much people with power. 

Ethics is generally defined as motivations or actions that are based on ideas of what is      right and wrong, but it also encompasses the values and morals that an individual, society, or       institution deems acceptable and desirable (Weiss, 2011). Leaders who do not encompass the values and morals of the society cannot effectively and authentically lead any majority without first being motivated to do so by similar causes. I think ethical leadership is important because it teaches integrity and culture to followers in turn empowering the masses.  

Weiss, J. W. (2011). An introduction to leadership. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Too Much Violence: USVI Shootings Near Preschools, USVI Shootings Near Preschool's 2, and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student