Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

speakup

Dear Editor,

Within the last few months, we have seen two teachers who were trying to teach respect within the classroom prosecuted for their stand.

A teacher in the Miramichi sent a student to the principal because he refused to stand for "O Canada." It was not due to religious beliefs – he was just plain arrogant. The result – the teacher was suspended for 11 days without pay.

Now we see a teacher in our own area is dragged through the mud by the courts while the student is upheld by the courts.

As a retired teacher, I witnessed many detrimental changes in the curriculum. First we weren't supposed to teach decoding skills. Next came the phase that children didn't need to know math tables. Next came spelling, and a phase where teachers were not allowed to correct an error in the child's reading and you were supposed to let them spell a word any way at all. Above all, do not fail a child – it is bad for their ego.

Next comes taking away the discipline. Cross a student and you ended up in court. I watched a fine-moral male colleague be accused of sexual assault because two girls were angry with him. They convinced a few other girls to go along with them. For a year and a half his family were put through a living nightmare. To the girls it was all a joke. The judge had to speak to the prosecutor several times about their conduct.

Shortly before I retired, principals were instructed to send for the RCMP to handle an unruly student. So when a young elementary student threw a tantrum and locked the bus door, a Mountie was called in. He had no authority to do anything either.

When parents first started running to the RCMP, judges backed the teachers. I recall an N.B.T.A. representative tell us that as older judges retired and young ones took over, the tables would turn. That day has come. Students have all the rights.

Recently an RCMP officer in Halifax was quoted as saying, "We had some control over these adolescents in jail. Now the judges are turning them loose on the street and we just can't control them all."

Teaching is a very stressful job. It also is very frustrating for students who are there to learn to have the learning process interrupted by rude, disrespectful students. We as parents and grandparents need to support our teachers with encouragement and prayer support. It is our children and grandchildren who are losing out.

If the student had assaulted a teacher nothing would be done. The courts protect young offenders and excuse their behaviour because of a rough childhood or the theory that they are too young to understand the consequences of their actions.

But let a teacher try to correct a student – that is a different story. I would encourage all parents to contact the school first when problems arise. Teachers really do care about your child. They deserve our support.

(Janet) J.G. McIntosh

Woodstock