Yoursay: Student’s death cast pall over teaching profession

Student accused of stealing teacher’s iPhone passes away

P Dev Anand Pillai: All for the sake of a mobile phone. If only the teacher, an older woman, who should have been wise enough to exercise discretion had acted accordingly, this 13-year-old girl would have had her honour and respect intact and would be alive today.

The teacher would now have to live with this guilt for the rest of her life.

David Dass: A sad end indeed. This is something that should never have happened. How was the child to prove her innocence in the face of aggressive accusations and an interrogation?

It was as if the only way out for her was to confess to something that she claimed she had not done. Instead, she chose another way.

Will lessons be learned from this tragedy? Will teacher training methods be refined? Can ignorance and stupidity become wisdom?

We are supposed to be at the confluence of many great civilisations. Do we see much evidence of that?

NoNonsence: Yes, a real tragedy – a brave little girl who gave her life just to prove her innocence over a petty issue.

Her act should send serious shock waves and soul-searching from those involved, and our society at large. As we mourn the death of this little girl, we send our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to her parents and family.

I don’t think we can find words to console the grieving parents and family. May God guide, guard and bless the family during this very difficult time. M Vasanthapiriya, rest in peace.

Baiyuensheng: This is so sad. Whatever the reasons, a child should not be subject to this type harassment by the teachers. My heart ached, and I hope she has gone to a better place.

Anonymous Kitty: Is it right for the teacher to allegedly lock the child up for five hours? Is it right for the teacher and her husband (who is also a teacher) to drive the child home to talk to the parents?

Can they do this? Where is the headmaster or principal, what has he or she got to say?

Gggg: Many are responsible for the girl’s death. How did the husband manage to go to another school, his wife’s, to be involved in this case? Did he get approval from both schools’ headmasters?

Did the headmasters allow such action from outsiders? What were other teachers doing when the girl was reportedly confined for five hours? Did they just close their eyes?

So more than just two persons should face the music. Let’s see how the government handles this.

Negaraku: It is not a case caning or a tight slap on students that is worrying parents. It’s the racism, the bullying and the abuse of authority by certain quarters in schools that is more worrying.

Most parents are quite happy to accept corporal punishment by a headmaster, done in the proper manner. But the bullying, risqué slapping, and worst of all, shaming, should be treated as a crime.

If a thief comes to my house and I kill him in self-defence, and it can be considered murder on my part, then this is also subject to a crime of bodily harm.

Alfanso: I feel very, very sad for the death of the child, and the culture of ignorance and stupidity prevalent in our schools.

There is no accountability; what else is there to say? They never learn from the many complaints, these incompetent headmasters, teachers and the jolly high-living ministers. What a shame.

Just to put it on record and since nobody has done a study (I don’t know of any), some Indians have a tendency to commit suicide over false accusations.

My relatives (three) have died at different times just over false accusations by someone respected (a son or a parent or teacher, or any person who is highly respected).

It was thought honourable to die than to be accused of something one had not done.

ABC123: This is not the first case of a young student committing suicide. In the past, many Indian female students had committed suicide over various reasons, such as exam results, boyfriends, scolding by parents or teachers, pregnancy, etc.

There is a high rate of Indian suicides. Some commit suicide because of UPSR (primary school examinations).

Nonetheless, the teacher was wrong for her bullying actions. Deputy Minister P Kamalanathan is probably scared to upset his masters, so the teacher gets a transfer as usual, and then it will probably end up as NFA (no further action).

Anonymous #13114320: Teachers will not learn until they personally go through such trauma. It is the system that is wrong, and teachers must be always reminded on procedures at work when facing difficult children or situations, like this case, and the headmaster must be present at all times when action is taken.

Whatsup: What we have are the wrong people in the wrong job obviously, and they are either poorly trained to be a teacher or not trained in managing children.

It is not uncommon to have such people in the profession, as we have read countless cases or have heard of teachers of poor character and attitudes among others, who shouldn’t be in such positions, for whatever reasons, they are there.

Vijay47: Another young life taken away. What would this young lady have grown up to be – a doctor, a lawyer, a food stall operator, a housewife and mother, a company director, an engineer? We would never know, as we have lost her forever.

In the meantime, what would be the action taken against the wife-and-husband pair who had caused her to take this terrible step?

Considering the circumstances in this tragedy, heavy punishment should be meted out against them as “a lesson to all”, and to show that every child is precious to us.

They shouldn’t wait until another bullying or an unstable teacher causes another young life to be taken away.

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