Title Dictates Behavior, I Think

I recently saw that Mary K Letourneau was in the news and it took me back a ways.  You remember her.  The teachers that had sex with a 12 year old student, served prison time, a number of related Lifetime movies followed, she married the young man and had children with him.  She was arrested Sunday night and booked into jail early Monday for failing to appear in court for a suspended driver's license case. 

If you were or are a teacher I know enraged you were that she conducted herself in those days because it gave all teachers a bad name.  We were lumped in with her behavior like all policemen were after Rodney King.  But just like Randall, from the movie Clerks, says "title does not dictate behavior."  Even though we are talking about convenience store employees, Randall is right.  Title does not dictate behavior especially if you look at some our more recent local folks that should have lived by this mantra.

Lets not forget Perry County Sheriff was caught in a car with a man allegedly engaged in a sex act in Caseyville.  What about Pastor Joshua Swain who allegedly took more that $100,000 from his church?  I could have chose a ton more of these small town examples where some feel that their title exempts there behavior.  These folks, like me, choose a life that allows them to serve the public and the common good and when you are in these positions you cannot take the Randall approach.  I am very aware of my behavior and what it could to do not only my professional life but my family.

Randall, although I adored your sentiment when I was 18 working in a gas station but I'm a grown up now and I can't roll with you.  I will dig the movie out occasionally and laugh hysterically like I always have but I have kids now and title must help dictate my behavior.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/perry-county-sheriff-cited-in-caseyville-for-alleged-public-sex/article_5597249a-2aa1-11e1-8445-001a4bcf6878.html

http://news.wsiu.org/post/carbondale-pastor-accused-theft

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/mary-kay-letourneau-teacher-jailed_n_4550740.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Et5S_alCE (Warning-Explicit Content)