Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Over-achievers should step aside so the mediocre have a chance to be honored

It seems this 9 year old is quite good at reading, too good in fact.  The library director wants to oust him from their reading competitions because, she says, he intimidates other kids.
Tyler Weaver calls himself “the king of the reading club” at Hudson Falls Public Library. But now it seems Hudson Falls Public Library Director Marie Gandron wants to end his reign and have him dethroned. 
The 9-year-old boy, who will be starting fifth grade next month, won the six-week-long “Dig into Reading” event by completing 63 books from June 24 to Aug. 3, averaging more than 10 a week.
...
“Everybody he tells, he gets high-fives. Everybody’s so proud of him.” 
Everybody, it seems, but Gandron, who was surprised to learn Katie notified a Post-Star reporter about her son being a longtime winner. During a phone call Tuesday to Gandron, the library director said Tyler “hogs” the contest every year and he should “step aside.” 
“Other kids quit because they can’t keep up,” Gandron said. 
Gandron further told the reporter she planned to change the rules of the contest so that instead of giving prizes to the children who read the most books, she would draw names out of a hat and declare winners that way. She said she can’t now because Katie has come forward to the newspaper.
I guess there's such a thing as being too exceptional, at least, when mediocre people make the rules.  Ayn Rand had it right.
Do you know the hallmark of a second rater? It's resentment of another man's achievement. ... They envy achievement, and their dream of greatness is a world where all men have become their acknowledged inferiors.
- Ayn Rand

1 comment:

  1. I ask to share the wealth, weather work for it or not is new O-American way.

    ReplyDelete