Bureaucracy. You know it exists in government. Well let me tell you, it even penetrates schools –all the time. It even hits tour guides! This is the problem with, well, the world. Check out the email I received regarding the “talking points” I, a soon-to-be tour guide, should regurgitate on the current arrest of a Lehigh vice-provost.

Hi everyone,

 

I'm sure most of you have heard about the reason incident involving one of our Lehigh Administrators.  Here is the basic information in case you haven't heard:

 

Background Information:

 

According to the Delaware County district attorney's office, criminal investigation division, a Lehigh University employee has been charged with multiple offenses related to the criminal online solicitation of an undercover officer.

 

Should you receive any questions from prospective families in regards to this topic, here are the talking points:

 

Talking Points:

 

·      Lehigh University has placed the individual on administrative leave.

·      The university is cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies on this matter.

·      Since this case remains active, the university is not able to comment on the specifics or details of the situation.

 

Please only refer to the talking points and do NOT talk about any of the details of the case.

 

Thank you

-XXXXX XXXXX

 

This sounds like a Presidential press release, not an email for college tour guides. Lehigh University has become too involved in politics and the business of education instead of solely education. Unless this bureaucracy, in all aspects –school, business, and government –disappears, we, as a society, will not progress. It is very disturbing to see this level of ridiculousness hit the lowest employees of an educational institution.  I had a very interesting discussion on this topic tonight. I will post on it tomorrow. 

 

Luckily, I will keep telling the truth –the good and the bad –about Lehigh regardless of potential termination threats. Needless to say, since tour guides get paid very little, there really is no incentive to conform. (This also raises the question of money and its pressure to make people conform to shitty ideas.)