Being nice or kind _is_ important of course; but there is a
   point of "Time To Speak Up" and it's not when your pants are
   down to your ankles in an awkward situation with an authority
   figure but LONG before that..

   All of life is roleplaying. If someone is performing their role
   properly (whether the role be that of parent, teacher, kid,
   boss, friend, whatever), then there's no problem. You play the
   role properly, the role gets the respect it deserves.

   But if your role is an authority figure is performed poorly,
   well, someone else is right to call you out on it.