The dilemma I was faced with was one every parent faces sooner or later: you want to defend your child, of course; you stand up for your child, but you mustn’t do it all too vehemently, and above all not too eloquently – you mustn’t drive anyone into a corner. The educators, the teachers, will let you have your say, but afterwards they’ll take revenge on your child. You may come up with better arguments – it’s not too hard to come up with better arguments than the educators, the teachers – but in the end, your child to going to pay for it. Their frustration at being shown up is something they’ll take out on the student.
Topics: Herman Koch, The Dinner