The E-Mail, the Penalty and Jesus
It’s fashionable to say our children have lost their ethical compass. But why should we adults expect them to have a fixed compass when our own needles fluctuate so wildly?
That thought occurs in the aftermath of Sunday’s column about Morgan Dawirs, a 16-year-old Rosary High School honors student who was expelled for typing up and e-mailing “rumors” about the faculty from her home computer.
Some readers thought her forced removal was far too harsh for her offense. Others lauded the Fullerton school for taking a stand.
As for the “rumors” list (yes, parents, I read the entire list), most were so silly that no sensible person would take them seriously. Interspersed, however, were claims about personal habits and lifestyles of some teachers. It was those that prompted the girl’s expulsion, which was later modified to allow her to attend Mater Dei High School for her senior year.
In the column, Principal Trudy Mazzarella defended Morgan’s removal, despite her 4.2 grade-point average and trouble-free high school career. Mazzarella noted that Jesus preached the Golden Rule, suggesting Morgan had flunked that standard by treating teachers with “blatant disrespect” in her e-mail episode.
It seemed to me that Morgan’s action deserved a talking-to, but expulsion struck me as unduly punitive. I ended the column with this question: Would Jesus have expelled Morgan?
“Of course, Morgan Dawirs should be expelled,” a reader wrote. “How would you like a co-worker at the Los Angeles Times e-mailing lies and gossip to your co-workers? A senior in high school knows right from wrong. And if a church school doesn’t uphold values, who does?”
Another woman wrote: “At first, after reading your question at the end of the column, I thought, ‘Aw, come on, what’s that?’ Then I went out Sunday afternoon to do some errands, thinking about it the whole time, and I began to realize your question wasn’t such a ‘throw-it-out-there’ tongue-in-cheek closing statement after all. Mrs. Mazzarella, her administration and staff are dedicated to the teachings of Jesus. . . . I don’t know if Jesus would have expelled Morgan, but someone who walks with Him and talks with Him did. And that says a lot to me.”
A male caller said, “I feel the principal did a great job of meting out the appropriate punishment. This is something that is extremely serious. I was awe-struck at the response of parents [in the Sunday column] that this is just something [Morgan] did because she was bored over the summer. This is very serious. You’re talking about teachers’ reputations here. So often in these kinds of cases, once the rumor is out there, it’s hard to draw it back in. She has to realize there are some things you just can’t slough off.”
A self-described Rosary parent left this message: “I would like to thank you very much for your column bringing the issue of expulsion out in public. Mrs. Mazzarella is very misguided in her belief that she has parent support. Many of us have not come forward because our daughters fear the same kind of reprisal that Morgan experienced. . . . I wish we could all feel the freedom to be more supportive.”
A male caller said, “I’m a little bit annoyed at your extreme position on this free-speech topic. I’m just worried about all these teachers and parents who eventually wind up with these molestation charges and other false charges against them, just because some airhead kids make statements just for the fun of it. You can take that into consideration when you defend all of these people and their stupidity.”
A girl who identified herself as a Rosary student wrote, in part: “We particularly enjoyed the ending of your article which brought Our Savior Jesus Christ into the matter. Jesus carried a philosophy of forgiveness. He forgave Mary Magdalene who was a prostitute, he forgave tax collectors who would unjustly take money from people. If Mrs. Mazzarella wants to be like Jesus and loves him so dearly, we can’t imagine why those facts don’t register in her head. . . . Morgan is an example for all Rosary girls to follow. We find it a shame she was asked to leave for her first mistake in her entire high school life. So, basically, Rosary lost their ideal student. What more can we say?”
In laying this issue to rest now, I still think a forced transfer was far too serious a punishment. Remembering my own high school days, starting over in a new school, especially in your senior year, can be traumatic.
But Mazzarella’s supporters have a point as well. Rumors have an insidious element. When they stop being silly and start getting personal, they become ugly quickly. My guess is that Morgan knows that. An apology from her to the assembled faculty would have been a rough punishment for her, but in my humble opinion would have best served everyone.
As for what Jesus would do?
The closest I can come is from an e-mailer who opined: “You ask, would Jesus have expelled Morgan? Man, I don’t know. Nobody knows. Jesus was so unpredictable. That’s what makes him Jesus.”
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Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821 or by writing to him at the Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or by e-mail to dana.parsons@latimes.com
