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