I’d have wished that old sentiment; ”…proud to have a son like you,” would ring true.

That is one of the things I find beautiful in the ILIAD, they are proud. I’m not interested in fairness or equality. What interests me is achievement.

I want the most exceptional students, no matter if they are black, white, purple or green. Their sexuality interests me not at all. I don’t care.

When I worked at another institution I had a student appear at my office door one day who asked to be in my class.

I looked at him. He had a bone through his nose.

Yes, A BONE THROUGH HIS NOSE!

I stared at him.

I said,- “NO!  No, you can’t be in my class!”

He asked me why.

I said,- “You have a bone through your nose, I can’t think of anything else when I look at you except for how damn stupid that is! All I can think of when I look at you is that you have a bone through your nose.”

He left.

3 years later a student appeared on the threshold of my office door. He wanted to be admitted into my class. I said sure! He waited and asked if I remembered him. I thought, do I owe him money?

I said,-“ No, I don’t remember you.”

He said,-“ I came here 3 years ago asking to get into your class and you said no because I had a bone through my nose.

You were the only one who told me how stupid I looked.”

He achieved great things in that class. My best students excel because I demand it. And I’m proud of their achievements.

You have to earn everything you get in life……even pride!