Letter of the Day | What about the rights of teachers?

THE EDITOR, Madam:

As someone who has recently taken up teaching, I have encountered a myriad of challenges. The demands and prerequisites are substantial, contributing to both inspiring and overwhelmingly adverse days. My observations have led me to discern the inequitable treatment directed at teachers from various angles.

A teacher was reprimanded for losing composure in the classroom, captured on video chasing a student and using inappropriate language. The public response was swift and critical, yet did anyone earnestly examine the situation from both perspectives?

The deluge of directives from the minister of education, the chief education officer, senior education officers, and other education sector leaders seem to consistently target teachers. Regrettably, there appears to be an absence of initiatives holding those students accountable for their uncouth behaviour. Are we inadvertently signalling to students that they possess unrestricted rights, allowing them to act with impunity under the perceived protection of educational authorities?

Instances abound where colleagues have faced physical attacks without repercussions. Shockingly, students now engage in hurling objects and threats at teachers with apparent impunity. One colleague was even threatened with violence by a grade-seven student. The matter received inadequate attention from the school and the teacher had to report it to the police.

Instances of inappropriate physical contact and verbal threats persist, creating a hostile environment for educators. Social media has provided students with a platform to disseminate insults, fabricate stories, and tarnish the reputations of teachers they dislike. While some teachers may not uphold professional standards, those dedicated to their profession are affected badly.

The prevailing acceptance of laziness, unfairness, cheating, and stealing is disconcerting. Students’ priorities seem to incline towards seeking immediate gratification, rather than pursuing a comprehensive education. The expectations placed on teachers to perform miraculous feats, transforming challenges into successes, are juxtaposed against the swift punishment meted out for any perceived shortcomings. Yet, students seem to evade severe consequences for their transgressions under the guise of individual rights, raising questions about the rights of educators.

The erstwhile reverence for teachers as respected and esteemed figures in society has waned. Education, once considered the cornerstone of societal growth and development, appears to be undervalued by those in influential positions. Educators, it seems, are becoming analogous to field slaves on a modern-day societal plantation, implementing directives from air-conditioned offices without adequate resources, protection or advocacy when faced with violations.

DWIGHT DAWKINS