One Week, Two Role Models
Jonathan Sheppard questions those who call Amy Winehouse a role model. He has a better example.
30 Jul 2011, 09:46
Cec Thompson: Role Model
This week we learned about the sad death of Amy Winehouse. Clearly a talented artist whose death came tragically early. However imagine my surprise while listening to Radio 2 to hear one of their DJs describe her as a role model. A role model? She may have been many things to many people but I can't for the life of me think why on earth she should be seen a role model. The RNLI volunteer is a role model. The lady working in the charity shop is a role model. Being famous and taking some dubious life decisions does not make you a role model, and if our kids see Amy Winehouse as a role model then God help us all.
If you want a role model then perhaps you could do no better than look at my former economics teacher Cec Thompson who sadly recently passed away.
Cec was living proof of how a meritocratic system should work in practice. How you should be able to achieve whatever you want to no matter what background you come from. He rose to the top in spite of the obstacles life put in front of him, not because of various advantages that wealth or family had provided him by birth.
I remember Cec told me once that he believed he had been black and white during his life. As a poor young black man, he was black as his race was an issue. When he became successful having had a great sporting career followed by becoming a successful businessman and teacher, he knew what it was like to be white. People no longer automatically saw a black man on first sight.
His teaching methods were often unconventional, and would probably be frowned on these days, but he clearly inspired many pupils during his time at Chesterfield School.
If you want a role model, don't listen to an Amy Winehouse song. Take a read of "Born on the Wrong Side' and be really inspired by what you can achieve.
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