Defense of Hagrid (was Re: Hagrid, Dumbledore, & Second Chances (LONG)

[cmf_usc]

No: HPFGUIDX 40282

Richelle wrote:
<<<Well, I've followed this discussion of Hagrid and his ability (or 
not) to teach.  I am a teacher, so I can see things from his point of 
view.  When I'm  starting an activity with my students, I warn them 
of any dangers before I begin.  Hagrid did this, but Malfoy wasn't 
listening.  If a student is then injured, it's their fault.  Now, I 
know the parents will more than likely take their child's side, just 
as Lucius Malfoy did. I've been there.  However, as long as I had 
given them specific directions and the child is injured because they 
either didn't listen or didn't follow the directions, the principal 
will side with me, as the teacher.  Which is what Dumbledore did.>>>

::waves to fellow teacher::

The Draco Incident is one of the few times that I *don't* fault 
Hagrid.  You're right, he did exactly what he should have, as a 
teacher.

Like Jenny, I have a problem with his behavior afterwards.  Hagrid 
completely scrapped his curriculum in favor of teaching 
flobberworms.  Which, apparently, don't require a whole lot of 
teaching.

It reminds me of a situation I was in last year.  A new student 
transferred into my class and took exception with my discipline 
plan.  She threw a book (literally) at me when she was assigned 
silent lunch for breaking rules.  It would have been wrong for me, 
the teacher, to cave into that and remove silent lunch from my 
consequences or to tiptoe around her in the future.  I can't let a 
student scare me off; and that's what Hagrid did, IMHO.

But I fault Dumbledore as well, for assigning someone who is not a 
fully trained wizard, much less trained as a teacher, to teach.

I also *really* fault Hagrid for raising Norbert and letting students 
solve his problems with the dragon for him.  And not standing up for 
those students when they are given detentions, lose more house points 
than anyone ever has before, and are socially ostracized for it.  
That's not fitting behavior for a school employee, IMHO, even if he 
isn't a full-fledged teacher at this point.


Richelle again:
<<To me it seems like he was created as a character that children 
would like, and as the books reach higher levels, the purpose of his 
character will cease to exist.  I don't want him to die, but I think 
he will.  With honor, I'm sure.>>

Me:
Yup, I think he's a goner.  In large part because we've already 
learned *so much* about his backstory, whereas we still have a lot to 
learn about other characters.  I personally think this mission with 
the giants is the last useful thing Hagrid can do as an alive 
character; then he will be more useful dead, provoking character-and-
relationship-building situations for Harry & co.

Although I will be sad for Harry when he goes.  Because he loves 
Harry, and Harry loves him, and wish I could like him... but I just 
can't.  *sigh*

Caroline