Parents disrespect teachers

Parents disrespect teachers

From Warta Kota

Similar incidents to the one where a teacher beat his student and the next day the student's parents and relations came along to the school and thrashed him may be occurring frequently in some junior high schools.

On Aug. 28, 2001, an almost identical incident befell a male teacher in the state Junior High School 21 (SLTPN 21). The teacher, whom I personally know, is highly dedicated to teaching and educating his pupils. On that day, he became a victim of his own student's brutality. Ironically, other students, who saw the incident, just let it happen in front of the school and some even regarded it as something entertaining. Few regretted it.

How could this happen? It seems that students no longer respect their teachers or behave politely towards them. As a colleague of the teacher, I am very much concerned over what has happened to him even though he performed his duties as well as he could. What makes us sadder is that the teacher is afraid of going back to teach in the school as the student's parents have threatened him.

At present, we, the teachers, are going through a terrible ordeal as our salaries are low and we have not even received our back pay. However, we keep on doing our best to educate the younger generation.

I call on the school principal to settle this case in order to maintain the authority of teachers in the eyes of their students, and would also urge parents not to act irrationally and violently in dealing with their children's problems at school.

PURWIDI

Jakarta