Discipline: A Serious School Concern
ONE serious area of concern by teachers in today’s classroom is discipline. With the deteriorating behavior of children now a days, discipline is something that cannot be ignored.
Looking at our students today, they seemed to have developed new ways of behaving that includes acted-outrage, lack of respect and blame. Children at times shrug you off, ignoring what you have to say. More seriously illbehaved students would threaten, blast their teachers, hit or punch the walls, break things in class, bully others, vandalize or call you names.
Discourteous behavior by students in schools across the country is extensively recognized. Television and movies are replete with examples of it. Some children’s behavior is very depressing to teachers. Even more frustrating however is the fact that educators find their hands tied when dealing with disruptive children. They lack the tools they used to have in dealing with the unruliest kids. Previously, they can dismiss such kids in school. The restrictions placed on teachers in regard to the extremes with which discipline can be issued effectively strips educators of the authority to transfer or to suspend students who are “unmanageable” or those considered as “antisocial.”
Given the restriction from the law, school officials can’t respond forcefully when these children get into fights, curse teachers, or even put students and staff at serious risk. Teachers are now given limited options when disciplining students. In some cases, teachers and administrators are afraid to impose discipline to a child for fear of a lawsuit if they mishandle behavioral cases.
Considering this predicament of teachers, I think they cannot be faulted now if they elect to be safe than sorry. Their meager salary would not even suffice to pay for legal counsels should they inadvertently mishandle discipline cases. This makes teachers all the more pitiful. They face the toughest job. They are expected to know a lot yet we seem to forget that they are humans too. I think it is now time that something be done about the seemingly absence of laws to guard or protect teachers. Juliet B. Monte