Educator laments spread of violence in society<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A noted educator lamented that rampant violence
\nin society has forced parents and teachers not to teach children
\nvirtues, but how to mind their own business instead.<\/p>\n
Toenggoel Siagian, chairman of a foundation which runs 32
\nChristian schools across the country, said that the apparent rule
\nof thumb to survive in the city nowadays is to cultivate \"the
\nculture of avoidance\".<\/p>\n
\"Violence, unfortunately, has become a daily occurrence for
\ncity dwellers,\" he told The Jakarta Post. \"Let's not pretend. We
\ncan no longer teach our students about virtue. We simply teach
\nthem to survive.<\/p>\n
\"Are we not teaching our children to avoid looking into
\nstrangers' eyes, to flee from bad situations, and mind their own
\nbusiness?\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that educators in increasingly violent urban
\ncenters are placed in a difficult position. They want to teach
\ntheir students the virtue of courage, for instance, but they also
\nwant them safe, he said.<\/p>\n
He believed that schools run by foundations implement this
\n\"realistic approach\" in, for instance, their policy of
\nimmediately expelling students involved in brawls.<\/p>\n
\"It is not easy to instill the philosophy of living to survive
\nin adolescents who are searching for identities,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Toenggoel said persistent persuasion mixed with threats from
\nteachers have proven to be effective in eventually convincing
\nstudents to stay out of trouble. Rather than responding in kind,
\nmany of the foundation's school students now simply laugh when
\ntheir schools are attacked by students from other schools.<\/p>\n
\"Perhaps they realize the futility (of brawling). Many other
\nyouths consider it heroic,\" Tunggul added.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that students are not encouraged to stand up
\nfor their beliefs, especially when violence becomes the only way
\nto do so. Toenggoel said that he usually tells his students that
\n\"a live dog is better than a dead lion\".<\/p>\n
\"It is so unfortunate that we cannot afford the price of
\nteaching our students to fight for what they believe in any
\nlonger,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Another prominent educator, Sandiah Suryono, took a more
\noptimistic view. Better known as Bu (Mother) Kasur, Sandiah said
\nparents still play a crucial role in their children's upbringing,
\nespecially in an era where children encounter all sorts of
\ninformation and influences.<\/p>\n
\"It is best to encourage children to learn to discern good
\nfrom bad by themselves, but parents still need to help by
\nsupervising them,\" Sandiah told the Post.<\/p>\n
\"Children tend to emulate what their peers perceive as cool,\"
\nshe added.<\/p>\n
Sandiah acknowledged the dwindling control parents have over
\ntheir children. Sometimes, however, less control is needed in
\norder to encourage children to have critical minds and to
\nmaintain open and continuous communication, Sandiah said. (14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/educator-laments-spread-of-violence-in-society-1447893297",
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