The Globe isn’t showing any signs of letting up on Henry DeGrootgate.
In the latest article by reporter Ellen Ishkanian, the founders of the “exchange program between Newton Public Schools and China said the program they have worked more than 30 years to build has been jeopardized by an immature student who didn’t understand the ramifications of his self-serving actions.”
They also said the Newton North senior should have been sent home as soon as the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, it appears that it hasn’t occurred to Henry DeGoot yet that perhaps he should stop talking to reporters. Instead he tells Ishkanian
“I did partially regret what I had done, as I’ve said, it was stupid and immature. But I don’t any more, because I’ve now had the opportunity to speak out about the school administration, so I’ve been given an opportunity I didn’t expect.”
Photo above from Shanghaiist.com Be sure and check out the comments.
Why does this story deserve yet another thread? This kid behaved badly and now he is self-satisfied and smug, probably because of all the local attention. He needs to learn some manners and I doubt he feels any incentive to do that
It’s a reasonable point Lisap and I did think twice before posting this. Ultimately I decided that, while it’s appropriate to ask why the Globe felt the original story belonged on page one or merited an editorial, it’s an important story for Newton since (a) it does seem as if our 30-year-old exchange program could be in jeopardy and (b) when the regional media are producing stories that contribute to the way our city, our schools or our residents are perceived, it’s useful to stay up to date with them — and provide a platform to discuss them — locally.
Fair enough Greg, fair enough. I understand that in selecting students, one of the qualities the selectors look for is the student’s ability to act as an “ambassador” for NPS. Hopefully the program will not be irreparably harmed by the childish antics of one who either was unwilling or unable to live up to the expectations and promise others saw in him. Moreover, I hope that years of positive experiences will far outweigh any damage done.
So here is an interesting point that was recently made to me.
I was told from someone who grew up in China, that one of the methods that the Communists had used to build popularity and ensure youthful support of their teachings among its supporters was to write their messages in students’ notebooks … relying on hearsay and word of mouth to override facts and verified information and counting on the minds of youths to carry out the message rather than verify the facts.
Basically the writer was outraged that an American student would choose this method of “campaigning”.
I’m so frustrated at the softness of this reporter. How about asking the kid some questions other than ‘how do you feel?’ How about ‘Do you think that when you are in China you should obey Chinese rules/laws or American rules/laws? Do you understand that you may have put the program in jeopardy? ‘Do you understand why it might be in jeopardy?’ You say you have no regrets, would you do it again?
Worst reporting ever.
Kim, I agree with you on every count. The student’s feelings are irrelevant at this point, except in realizing he didn’t care about the consequences of his actions on others (the Chinese student, the multi-decade exchange program and the other Newton students who aspire to be a part of this program), about the responsibility of being respectful in other countries or his own word that he would follow the rules of the program. He sounds like an entitled brat who thinks he is above the rules and likes being the center of attention. His actions were not civil disobedience, as he says, because he was not standing up for his beliefs and accepting the consequences. He was hiding in the background, being immature and writing on another student’s notebook things that challenge his way of life and his country’s government. Hopefully the exchange program will continue and educators will vet better which students participate.
Kim — This interview asked those questions: http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-06-06/american-high-school-student-says-democracy-cool-kids-and-got-trouble
All want to act like this is about culture (“shared values”) but it is not, it is about repression. Repressing is imposed.
This program is 30 years old – its advocates are trumpeting that as if it a good reason for its existence. Thirty years of cuddling up to an evil regime, that dresses itself as a democracy. Nothing to be self- righteous or self-congratulatory about.
In thirty years, this is apparently the first time that Newton sent a vertebrate to China. What a shame.
Congratulations, Henry. Your only mistake was apologizing. What would they have done ? Send you to a labor camp?
L Salty,
Send Henry to a Labor Camp? No, but maybe the family he was staying with will experience some repercussions. Maybe the family of the Middle School student whose notebook he decided to write in will find themselves under heavy surveillance. Maybe the principal of the Middle School will see his career ended if the regime doesn’t think he responded appropriately. If you disagree with the program well fine and dandy. However, this student and his family did not have any problem signing him up to go to China to represent this community as be part of this program, so frankly the whining is a bit too late.
Actually, I believe this is a good learning experience for both sides of the issue. DeGroot made a mistake but the Chinese officials were very harsh in their reaction. After all these trips are meant to be learning tools for the young.
Perhaps NPS might also re-evaluate their mission for sending students to China. All in all some new ideas should be discussed about the entire operation before moving forward. At present I do not believe that the punishment administered is justified. Yes, DeGroot should understand the consequences of his actions; the adults should also understand the complexities of the issue from a deeper point of view.
My personal issue on this is much more immediate. I have 6th grader who has been taking Chinese for a long time. He has met students from the school in China, it had a personal impact on him, and he’s been looking forward to being able to make the trip himself.
If this program ends I’ll have to explain to him why it happened, and he’ll lose something he’s had in his heart set on for a long time. It would also rock his faith in Newton schools.
In third grade he declared his intention to take Latin, then the school department talked of cutting the program. He cried. He’s excited to start it next year, but in the back of his head knows that it could be taken from him at any moment.
What message does that send?
@Chuck. I still can’t believe that the Chinese will cancel this program because of this one incident. If they do, I would question just how healthy this program really is. My friend who taught in China talked about the paranoia and bullying. Would we cancel our end of the bargain if a Chinese student criticized what’s going on in this country. I doubt it. This actually makes me feel better about this country.
I have a better penance for young DeGroot if needed. Let him attend the prom as long as he agrees to attend 10 consecutive gavel to gavel meetings of the Newton Board of Aldermen with the stipulation that it will be upped to 20 consecutive meetings if he backslides in any way. That should get him back on the straight and narrow although he might hit back with a “cruel and unusual” charge.
I am really upset by any attempts to characterize this student as some kind of democracy advocate. If I sent my daughter on an exchange program to Saudi Arabia and she decided to screw local standards and don attire that was typical for Oak Hill Middle School but considered totally immodest in the country whose norms she had agreed to comply to , I would not defend it. Even if she tried to spin her impulsive, adolescent , culturally insensitive actions into a political statement of feminism and women’s rights.
If China is oppressive and not aligned with Newton’s social values, we should reevaluate this program and not fund it.
What Karen N said. And if anyone has the graduation copy of the Newtonite – you should read what DeGroot wrote. Obviously he has lots of issues with the NPS and his parents.
Joanne — That’s quite a way to leave this thread dangling. How about some quotes sans innuendo?
Hoss,
Thanks for that link. At this point in his life, this kid is a clown. I’m hoping he grows out of it. Seniors in High School don’t have the perspective that older people have. He has a lot of room to grow.
There’s a followup on the program at Boston Globe. Looks like the program lives on and Newton can now focus to more critical international news like what happens to Orchard Road. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/06/12/newton-exchange-program-stays-despite-student-actions/oQMIcqu4KfM6sHAC7WIIiO/story.html
@Hoss. I’ve been wrong about a lot of things recently, so it’s good to be right at least once. I never for a moment thought DeGroot’s actions would be a game changer.
the focus on the cheeky kid is a sideshow. the real question here is one of values: why are americans so scared of standing up for and expressing their own values? do americans no longer believe in themselves and what they stand for? why are they so happy to just hand over their most sacred and cherished freedoms to a foreign dictatorship?
the communist government of china actively spreads propaganda against american values.
consider the scenario of whether a chinese child wrote things in praise of communism in the united states. then consider that the american principle became offended, then sent him back and made a big fuss – and THEN, the chinese school was really embarrassed — EMBARRASSED OF THE KID DEFENDING COMMUNISM IN THE US — and punished him.
wouldn’t that be a ridiculous scenario? it would be a joke. like the communists were embarrassed of their own system.
not only that, but everyone would hate that school principle for attacking the kid that stood up for communism.
it’s just a case of double standards, plain and simple. this is not about respecting other peoples’ cultures. the communist regime in china is simply a dictatorship that clamps down on speech and thought. that’s the essence of this. if americans are willing to sell out their values so they can have superficial ‘exchanges’, well, i think that’s pathetic.
by the way, an added irony of all this is that “It’s right to rebel” (which the hateful young henry wrote) is actually just the English version of the Maoist slogan 造反有理! how hilarious. so he wrote that democracy is for cool kids, don’t believe the government’s lies, and a Mao slogan. and we get our knickers in a knot? this is too precious.