Mayfield: Teaching kids about hypocrisy was way too easy this week

It’s been a rough week to be a parent. I mean, every week as a parent is a rough week in some way. But this week, leaders across the spectrum made it just a little tougher ensuring our kids know right from wrong and good from bad.

This week, I found myself explaining to our second and fifth graders what hypocrisy — and what being a hypocrite — is. First, I had to spell it for them. Then I read the definition from Merriam-Webster aloud: A person who pretends to have virtues or qualities that they do not have. Then, I offered some examples.

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And this week, there were way too many examples.

There were both vice presidential nominees on national television demanding the other be honest and then, when their own chance came, stopping short of the same level of truthtelling. Governor Tim Walz couldn’t simply say he misspoke and apologize after he was caught lying about whether he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square democracy protests in 1989. Senator J.D. Vance refused to admit the undeniable fact that his running mate, former President Donald Trump, lost the 2020 election and then made it worse by claiming it was a peaceful transfer of power and not a deadly near coup.

Now, before you brush those off as national politicians doing what national politicians do, I have a local example this week as well. Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Superintendent Brent Jones sent a letter to parents, staff and the wider community saying he now only wanted to close five schools, but in order to make up the rest of the budget shortfall, sacrifices from everyone would be required. Minutes later, at a closed-door meeting, the school board gave him a $25,000 dollar raise. So teachers, parents, kids — y’all need to sacrifice, but no sacrifice for Jones.

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It’s hard to do the right thing. But that doesn’t make it any less necessary. Candidates for leadership in this nation’s highest offices need to tell the truth. School leaders who want us to trust their decisions need to lead by example. Hypocrites should be losing these battles, but it seems instead, they just keep on winning.

What’s funny is our kids understood all this immediately. It makes sense at such a basic level. Being honest and practicing what you preach are the right things to do.

So why is it so tough for so many grownups to simply do them?

Travis Mayfield is a local media personality and fills in as a host on KIRO Newsradio