I am a school teacher. The incessant and blatent ignoring of the fact that Mr. Stevens sings terribly is akin to the esteem movement in classrooms. Everyone is given a ribbon, no matter how low the effort level, no matter how low the skill level. The negative outcome is that people with low skill levels and those with low effort levels are encouraged to think they have no room for improvement, that their work is up to par with the best. It's tremendously painful to hear John sing, but even more painful to see him praised for his awful voice. It's like the emperor with no cloths, people don't hear the awful notes, even though there's hardly anything but off key singing. People should have been truthful with him long before he ever reached IDOL. He's probabably got other things he's much more accomplished at, at least I hope so.
