Schools or prisons?

The recent spate of verbal and physical attacks upon educators in Maltese schools is worrying, to say the least. However, I also believe the problem is not being treated in the right manner by some of the stakeholders in the educational sphere.

To simply blame students or their parents for verbal and physical attacks upon educators is rather simplistic. What we must ask ourselves is: What is the cause of such verbal and physical attacks upon our educators?

Let me start by stating that all attacks on educators should be condemned outright.

Nobody should take the law into his/her own hands even if s/he feels justifiably aggrieved by the actions and behaviour of a particular educator. If we were to tolerate attacks on educators, we would have anarchy in our schools and the whole educational system would break down.

Let me continue by stating that I believe that the vast majority of our educators are dedicated professionals who do their utmost for the welfare of their students.

However, I am also sure there exists a small minority of educators who, unfortunately, have not moved ahead with the times. These educators (perhaps "pseudo-educators" would be a better term to use) still believe in methods of school discipline straight out of Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist and not progressive methods appropriate for the 21st century.

For these educators, regimentation and uniformity are to be the order of the day in schools.

The relationship between the educators themselves and their students and parents is not to be an equal one but, instead, one based on the undemocratic imposition of the educators' will upon the students and their parents. Anything which is different from the set norms is looked upon with suspicion, even hostility.

Thus, for these educators, challenging behaviour by certain students is not seen as an opportunity for creativity and adaptability on the part of the educator but as a threat to be instantly punished. Let me give some examples.

Students look smart in their uniforms and regulations on what is allowed and not allowed where school clothing and other bodily accessories are involved are there for the students' welfare. However, one has to keep in mind that students are not prisoners or soldiers in a regiment.

I personally know of cases where heads of school use the morning assembly to ask the teachers to go round their class, examining each and every student to ensure that no infringement has taken place regarding uniform. In this way, the morning assembly, an event where the whole school population is gathered together in what should be an enjoyable communal experience, is instead turned into a witch-hunt for students who have infringed the rules! What a way to start the day in school!

However, probably the most serious issue that most often leads to verbal and physical attacks upon educators involved the way in which some educators "correct" their students.

Let me make it clear once and for all: an educator has no right to shout at his/her students even if these are in the wrong.

Today, in Malta, we have a Commissioner for Children, we speak all the time about the rights of children and, yet, we still have some educators who think they can humiliate students whenever they believe they are justified in doing so.

A professional and competent educator never needs to shout to correct his/her students. An amateur and incompetent one does so and in this manner manifests his/her lack of professionalism and incompetence.

Let me once again stress an important point: the vast majority of teachers correct their students appropriately without resorting to shouting. Still, there exists a number of (pseudo-) educators who humiliate their students on a daily basis through unnecessary shouting and an arrogant attitude of "I know it all and you know nothing". This situation is exacerbated when parents complain and are, in their turn, treated as "ignoramuses" by the (pseudo-) educators.

The crux of the matter is this: Schools should be places where children enjoy themselves and are respected all the time. How do you feel when somebody shouts at you?

How do you feel when somebody makes a fuss about something trivial, such as whether your socks are light-grey or dark-grey? Should we reduce education to this ridiculous point?

Should we speak all the time about the virtues of democracy and then tolerate undemocratic situations between educators and students and their parents? Schools should encourage creativity and celebrate difference. They must not be turned into prisons where uniformity and strict regimentation and observance of the rules are the order of the day. Let the children enjoy their childhood!

Another important aspect of the problem is that of students coming from difficult social backgrounds. Such students should be given all the help possible and lapses of discipline should be treated with an understanding and tolerance that will help them overcome their difficult situation. Severely punishing such students for lapses of discipline is downright cruel.

They already have most of their childhood destroyed because of their problems at home and then, to add insult to injury, they sometimes find some (pseudo-) educators who can only come up with the assertion that these students' home problems render them impossible to educate! Such educators should simply find another job; they are a disgrace to their profession.

When a student exhibits challenging behaviour, the professional educator has to ask him/herself: "Why is the student behaving like this? How can I help him/her?"

Finally, let us stop once and for all labelling students with challenging behaviour as "delinquent". A student who attacks an educator is not necessarily delinquent. S/he might be passing through a hard time, a difficult period in his/her life.

We must always condemn the action but we should try and help the perpetrator to improve him/herself so that such an action would not be repeated. Remember, we are speaking of minors here! Labelling a student as a "delinquent" is the worst possible way to tackle his/her challenging behaviour.

With proper guidance and counselling, even the most difficult students can come to grips with their problems in order to develop their educational and social potential.

If we develop democratic relationships between educators and students and their parents I sincerely believe the number of verbal and physical attacks upon educators will be greatly reduced.