Do you know about Type I and Type II errors? The former involves erring on the side of inconvenience
so as to avoid harm and the latter is being negligent to the point of causing
harm. Over the last year several incidents reported in the media have impressed
upon me the grave consequences of Type II errors.
The news headlines below bear this out:
July
6, 2013 – Lac Megantic train derailment, 47 dead
An unattended,
idling freight train carrying crude oil and parked on the main lines, accidentally
became mobile after several observed that it was in distress. Some time during
the night it turned into a driverless projectile that derailed and exploded in
the busy town center, causing one of the worst rail disasters ever in Canada.
July
24, 2013 – Santiago De Compostela train crash, 79 dead
The driver
was accelerating at double the speed limit when the train derailed while going through
a bent. Apparently the driver had been boasting on Facebook about his reckless
behavior.
March
8, 2014 – missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, 239 presumed dead
It’s
hard to believe the negligence of those who for nearly 4 hours failed to report
the lack of communication from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
April
16, 2014 – Sewol ferry disaster in the Yellow Seas, 281 dead
It’s
even harder to swallow the inaction of the crew of the Sewol, the sunken ferry
in South Korean waters. Failing to uphold the ship safety act and abandoning
those entrusted into their care, the captain and crew are now being charged
with murder and manslaughter.
Type
I errors, however, are in sharp contrast to the
above events. For example, when we sound a fire alarm in a public place and
afterwards find out that we were wrong, we’ve only suffered inconvenience. Inconvenience, however, is not only an act of prevention,
but it also means being willing to walk the extra mile. Last week Judge
Thokozile Masipa classically displayed a Type I error when she inconvenienced everyone by delaying the Oscar
Pistorius court case with a month in order for the South African athlete to be referred
for mental observation. The extra time will help her remove potential error as
she discerns between reality and her conclusions of a reconstructed reality.
While mistakes occur all the time in schools, they are
pronounced in May. Remind yourself that it’s been a long year. Like Masipa, we
need to be prepared to commit Type I errors. What does that
look like with a few weeks of school left? The acronym below communicates some
key points:
J – Jaded
… you’re tired, don’t jump to conclusions, instead bite
your tongue
O – Observe … listen
with your eyes, ears and all other senses, be slow to speak
Y –
Yield ... lose a battle (or two), you and the other person are
needed in the war, just swallow it
While wisdom is available to all who ask, its sluices tend
to remain open to those who are prepared to commit Type I errors. Such people are characterized by humility, gentleness, and
patience. They carry each other’s burdens, overlook each other’s faults and as they walk the extra mile, they find
joy in the journey.