Sure, the job of high school teachers is not to tear down students' self-esteem. But it's certainly not to inflate students' sense of self-worth with a bunch of unearned compliments and half-truths. LZ Granderson More Quotes by LZ Granderson More Quotes From LZ Granderson You have to have confidence in who you are, because you never know who's depending on you. LZ Granderson have-confidence who-you-are knows With technology and social media and citizen journalism, every rock that used to go unturned is now being flipped, lit and put on TV. LZ Granderson rocks media technology Some of us have become so addicted to pointing fingers at others for all the wrong that happens in our lives that self-assessment has become synonymous with blaming the victim. LZ Granderson assessment blame self This is the gay agenda: equality. Not special rights, but the rights that are already written by [our Founding Fathers]. LZ Granderson gay rights father Children are wonderful but they are not the center of the universe. The sooner their parents make them understand that, the better off we all will be. LZ Granderson parent wonderful children Now as a former welfare recipient, I don't have a problem with expecting people to work to earn money. But where I come from we call that a job, not volunteerism. LZ Granderson problem jobs people It is said that courage isn’t the absence of fear but the fortitude to confront fear. And as long as homophobia continues to be an accepted element of the locker room culture and homophobic language a coach’s motivational tool, we can never dismiss the courage it takes for an athlete-on any level-to be openly gay. Bobby Blair may not be a household name, but his journey-from frightened collegiate athlete to empowered advocate-is one that has an important lesson for anyone who believes in the unifying power of sports. LZ Granderson athlete sports believe Teachers are not glorified babysitters with summers off. Their profession fuels all others, and on a normal day that is amazing enough in and of itself. LZ Granderson fuel summer teacher I don't claim to know everything about parenting, but I do know parents do their children a disservice by constantly sugarcoating their shortcomings to protect their feelings. LZ Granderson parent feelings children It only takes 140 characters to toss ones character out the window. LZ Granderson toss character window Accolades and lists may tell us about accomplishments, but life is meant to be experienced, not just accomplished. It's like the difference between reading books for the sake of reading and reading books just to get a good grade. LZ Granderson differences reading book When you hear the words ‘gay lifestyle’ and ‘gay agenda’ in the future, [look] to your left, look to your right. That person next to you is a brother, is a sister. And they should be treated with love and respect. LZ Granderson motivation inspiration brother Instead of this fruitless debate about having it all, men and women should focus on what make us happy. Instead of comparing our lives with people we don't know who are making sacrifices we don't see, we should try to find the right balance between home and work life. LZ Granderson sacrifice home men Most remember the groundbreaking first in sports; few remember the third or fourth to follow in those tracks. That's not downplaying anyone's achievements but rather recognizing that there comes a time when simply being there is no longer good enough for the record books. LZ Granderson track sports book Complete strangers can stand silent next to each other in an elevator and not even look each other in the eye. But at a concert, those same strangers could find themselves dancing and singing together like best friends. That's the power of music. LZ Granderson best music power together As a parent, I can empathize with how difficult raising children can be. There are challenges, especially within the framework of divorce, when parental guilt can sometimes blur what should be the best decision. LZ Granderson best decision challenges children Heroes aren't supposed to do bad things. That's what villains are for. So either the good supersedes the bad, or the bad makes it impossible to remember the good. We don't like it when such duality exists in one person. We don't want to know our heroes are human. LZ Granderson bad good impossible remember My son was born during my last semester in college. His due date was Thanksgiving, but he didn't show up until finals week. I brought my books to the hospital and didn't think anything of it. That is what a father is supposed to do. LZ Granderson think thanksgiving father son Parents are supposed to instill a sense of right and wrong in their children and then keep up the due diligence necessary to make sure they don't veer off that path. LZ Granderson wrong parents path children It seems everyone knows a college degree is important, but few have a plan to keep it affordable. LZ Granderson plan everyone important college
