Magical Education was Admonishing Snape

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 129519

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Kathryn Jones <kjones at t...> wrote:
> Lupinlore wrote:

> 
> 
> Kathy writes:
>      I am going to stick my neck out here and agree with Magda, 
> although I fully expect to see Lupinlore chop it off.  Our 
> child-centred educational system allows our children to go to
> school, secure in the knowledge that there is absolutely nothing
> a teacher can do to them.  Even detentions have gone the way of 
> the dinosaur due to bussing issues.  Nobody gets extra work.  
> What's the point if the little sods won't do their homework? 

Chuckle.  Keep your head, I'm sure you need it more than I do.  I
already have several I've cut off lining my bookshelves, and they tend
to get in the way.


> 
> Discipline is more and more regulated at home and probably half 
> of our society's kids never hear the word "NO" until their first
court appearance, and nobody takes that seriously anyway. A full
quarter more hear the word "no" at inconsistent intervals and 
> choose to ignore it. Lack of discipline, whether internal or 
> external is a serious problem in our society.  Now picture several
hundred undisciplined magical children and the complete and utter
havoc they could create.  Magnify that by generations of undisciplined
Magical adults. Snape may go too far at times, and 
> I don't agree with belittling students, but I'm willing to bet 
> that no teacher gets admonished for being too strict. Keep in 
> mind that the only really unforgiveable punishment was inflicted 
> by Umbridge.
> 


Your point about magic and discipline is a good one.  I think it might
make a good argument with regard to Snape's demeanor toward most
students (leaving aside his house favoritism).  Yet his attitude
toward Harry and Neville appears to be something else again.

I have to admit, I just don't buy the idea that Snape thinks he's
doing something honorable by keeping Harry from being "arrogant" like
James, or by trying to put some "spine" into Neville.  I also don't
buy the idea that Dumbledore would be so concerned with Snape's sense
of honor that he wouldn't reprimand him for fear of undermining it.  I
think that Snape is being sadistic because he's a sick and wounded
man, and Dumbledore doesn't act out of many reasons (a misguided
belief in restraint, a tendency to think too well of people and
situations, a dearth of options if Snape blows up, a regretable
tendency best seen in PoA to regard Snape as something of a Court
Fool, and genuine ignorance as to the depth of Snape's antipathy
toward Harry.)  Well, okay, I'll admit that I'm really spinning my
wheels here, because I think mostly this is just a plot device and JKR
really doesn't have any convincing or believable explanations.

But, still, the discipline aspect is very interesting.  However, it
raises many questions -- not least if discipline is so important, what
are Hagrid and his creatures doing as part of the curriculum?

Lupinlore