In our Assembly this morning, we focused on our School Value “Respect All” with a particular emphasis on the importance of respect for our parents and teachers.
The Assembly started with looking at the passing of Pope Francis who was a leader to 1.2 billion Catholics from all over the globe. Pope Francis was described as the People’s Pope because he shunned some of the pomp and ceremony of his position, preferring to spend as much time as he could with a broad range of people including those marginalised by society. In doing so, Pope Francis was able to set aside any preconceptions he might have had about groups such as the homeless, or those guilty of crimes. He must have looked beyond the surface to see the inherent humanity of these individuals.
When we examine the word respect, it has the connotation of looking again, to re-look, from the Latin root spectare. This means that to really respect someone we need to look beyond the surface, see what’s really there, and thereby connect with the inherent goodness in every human being.
Central to the Bible, from which Pope Francis took his guidance, are the Ten Commandments, and one of these particularly relates to respect. This is the fifth commandment to Honour thy father and thy mother. The importance of this is emphasised in all religious faiths and still practised in some more than others. In recent years, this idea has lost a degree of its prominence in western societies particularly.
Why is it important? Respect is a fundamental trait of learning. Children, or anyone else for that matter, will not learn much from a teacher they do not respect. So, if our children don’t respect their parents and teachers, and therefore don’t learn from them, where will they gain their understanding? TV, social media, friends and acquaintances, online gaming partners?
Furthermore, in the eastern tradition, respect for one’s elders is attributed to good health and longevity, as well as an increase in knowledge, fame and strength. Even if we can’t see a direct logical link, showing respect will allow our children to learn as much as they can from their parents and their teachers. This has far-reaching implications for their teenage years, and their happiness as an adult.
