Better Late Than Never

As part of a committee I serve on, I was able to get a "sneak preview" of a new exhibit at the local history and science museum in Binghamton (Roberson Museum).  This new exhibit features trees and the role the lumber industry played in our area throughout history.  Teachers from several other school districts also serve on this committee and were also previewing this new exhibit at the same time.

Wouldn't you know I found a slight spelling error on one of the posters accompanying the exhibit items?  Really it is more a grammar than a spelling error: the word then appears instead of the proper than.  I found myself pondering my choices regarding how to deal with this:  let it go or report the error? 

I think you have met me before and you already know that I am my father's daughter in many ways.  Therefore I think you know what happened BUT, to give me some credit, I did ask first about how difficult it was to produce the fancy posters they used.  When I was told they were produced on site and it wasn't a very big project I reported the error.  All I could picture was the exhibit opening, someone else noticing and commenting on the error followed quickly by "Well there were a bunch of teachers in here and no one said anything then".  Couldn't let that happen.

I've run into this several times recently.  If nothing is said, then all is OK.  Really?  If no one says anything about running a stop light, it's OK?  If no one says anything about a rude comment, it's OK?  Really?  No one told him he couldn't use the F word in class so must be it's OK.  What I've experienced lately isn't a response along the lines of "Oh no one told me--fine I'll adjust"--it's been "No one told me so that makes it acceptable". 

I'll continue to (try) to be polite in my responses and reactions--I may not say anything in the face of rudeness or inaccuracy but that does not make it OK.  Really.