The following incident happened in an elementary school in Taitung County: When a female second-grade homeroom teacher was investigating a bullying case, a sixth-grade student accused of bullying threw a chair at her, leaving her with concussion. The teacher reported the incident to the police.
It is said that the sixth-grade student is tall and has a record of bullying. According to the school’s protocols, he was ordered to attend the school’s guidance and counseling programs, but after he completed the counseling, his behavior remained the same.
Such incidents are a common phenomenon plaguing schools. Today, the only thing that teachers can do is to report bullying incidents and have the student attend counseling.
The measure is ineffective at best and useless at worst.
A student’s behavior has everything to do with their personality and family background. At school, it is hoped that they can be transformed through education. Ideally, students should receive an education involving benevolence, but in reality, some students need to be disciplined in a strict manner. Without disciplinary measures, they are likely to cause more social problems.
Other incidents prove this. During the summer program in a high school, a student dyed his hair blond and brought his girlfriend to class. The teacher asked the girl to leave for fear of disturbances. The blond-haired student was infuriated. He grabbed a chair and threw it toward the teacher, then left the class with his girlfriend with no shame.
In yet another incident, a female teacher asked a student to keep quiet, and the student threw his lunchbox at her in front of the entire class. The teacher was hit in the head and was left bleeding. No wonder some teachers self-mockingly say that teaching is a hazardous job.
The concept of “once a teacher, for life a father figure” and the moral principle of “respecting teachers” seem outdated. Today, students’ rights are highlighted more than ever. Any disciplinary action intended to correct their improper behavior could lead to denigration from parents, complaints from councilors, a reprimand from supervisors and even lawsuits. Sometimes, it is just too much to take.
If parents pamper their children, their spoiled children are likely to become more twisted. They can do whatever they want and behave eccentrically, as if they are more special than anyone else. They tend to despise or challenge teachers, whereas their teachers are likely to avoid them to prevent trouble. Students can film teachers’ disciplinary actions with their mobile phones, distorting or exaggerating what has happened to them.
Teachers nowadays have so much to worry about.
Education puts too much emphasis on students’ performance, while the development of their moral character and mindset — which should be considered among the basics of education — is neglected.
When dealing with bullying, psychological counseling is indeed important, but it might be pointless for students who are already morally twisted. In this sense, the Ministry of Education has been indulging students for some time.
On the other hand, teachers do not have enough resources to discipline some students. Without any support from the ministry, teachers cannot do much, and juvenile delinquency can be expected to create more serious social problems.
After the educational reforms, teachers are expected to devote themselves to students. However, are they well supported and respected in schools? Is their workplace safe for them to do their jobs? Should teachers wear helmets and bring Tasers to class to protect themselves?
Shiao Fu-song is a lecturer at National Taitung University.
Translated by Emma Liu
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