JKR and the House system

[alice_loves_cats]

No: HPFGUIDX 56780

Hi,

something struck me few days ago, partly inspired by the "Is there
anything that bothers you in the Potterverse" topic: JKR has stated in
at least one interview that I've heard (I believe there's a link to it
in the Lexicon), that she once had a terrible teacher who seated kids
in class according to how smart she thought they were. First, she was
put at the back with the stupid kids, and later had to change places
with her best friend, who had until then sat in the front row with the
supposedly bright kids. JKR said she thought this to be a terrible
system (I agree.)

On the other hand, doesn't the House system of Hogwarts actually do
something pretty similar?

Sure, the characteristics of every house are given in positive terms:
Hufflepuffs are not stupid, but nice, Slytherins are not nasty and
evil, but cunning. Still, if somebody gets sorted into Hufflepuff, the
word goes ruond that he's not exactly the brightest of souls. And
everybody considers Slytherins to be evil. 

The very idea of sorting kids into houses according to their certain
characteristics is, I think, almost as horrible as JKR's school seating.

It also gives them much less opportunity to develop their
personalities. If you only see people similar to yourself around you,
you will eventually become very limited in your opinions, don't you think?

Sorry if this has already been brought up (odds are that it has, as
has everything...)

Alice, a half-Brit Hungarian, new to the list and loving it