I once heard my dear friend and renowned string educator, Bob Phillips, say five words that left me speechless with their simple, yet absolutely undeniable power. He said, “What you permit you promote.” Whether it is a behavior, technique, attitude, or anything else, if we permit it to happen, we are promoting it. In other words, if we allow it, we send the message that we accept it. Whether what they are doing is good or bad, positive or negative, productive or unhelpful, if we permit it to happen, we are promoting it as something that should be done. That thought is a pretty scary one. The simple act of us letting something “slide” is sending our students the message that it is fine. Using his words as a mantra can provide us with a backdrop to understand the impact what we permit can have.
Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
KHS America
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