Snape, Apologies, and Redemption--Lupin vs. DD

[Bruce Alan Wilson]

No: HPFGUIDX 152559

Leslie141:
"And I would say when we judge his teaching style, we should 
consider the fact that Snape's students learn an awful lot as a 
result of his nastiness."

Lupinlore:
"Which is, once again IMO, absolutely and totally irrelevant.  The 
ends do not justify the means, particularly with regard to the abuse 
of children.  If JKR tries to pull the "it was okay because they 
learn important lessons" card, I would say she has failed utterly 
and reprehensibly, as DD has failed utterly and reprehensibly, by 
approving of the abuse of children."


BAW:
And where in canon do we see Snape abusing children?  I've read the books
several times, and I can't see it.  He is mean, nasty, and rude--but mean,
nasty, and rude do not in themselves constitute abuse.  Umbridge, yes--she's
definitely an abuser; Snape, as unpleasant as he is, is not.  I've seen real
abuse, and nothing that Snape does comes anywhere close.

And, for all his flaws, Snape's students LEARN.  Those who aren't complete
morons like Crabbe and Goyle at least pass their OWLS--maybe not with O's or
E's, but at least A's; I think that Neville even managed to scrape an A.
(Haven't the book handy.)

In another post, I mentioned that I had a rather Snape-like teacher; one of his
catchphrases was "Teaching is not a popularity contest."  I also had teachers
who were as sweet as pie, but couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper bag.
Which would you want, for yourself or your child--a mean but effective teacher,
or a sweet but incompetent one?  Assuredly the former. (Ideally you'd want one
who was nice AND effective, but we can't get everything we want in this world,
can we?  And that's another life lesson.)

School is supposed to be preparation for life, and in life we meet unpleasant
people, sometimes in positions of authority, and we have to learn how to get
along with them.

BAW