Parents have ultimate responsibility for students
I find criticism of teachers of the kind in your article 'Trouble a valuable lesson in human relationships' (Education Post, June 16) deeply disturbing.
If an inexperienced novice asks for the exclusion of unruly students in his or her class then clearly the school or their parents have failed in various ways.
I do not know what is so bad about United States schools, apparently a lot goes wrong there, but in the schools of my old country we were not allowed to disrupt a lesson in progress and I do not think this has changed much.
China, including Hong Kong, is far from ideal and in my humble opinion it is the parents who should accept blame. Anti-social kids should learn to integrate at their expense, not at the teacher's.
Yes, the children here are emotionally starved. The high suicide rate shows it clearly. Again, who should foster self-esteem, sense of attachment and belonging in young children, if not parents?
There is a fine line between coddling a child neglected by its own mother and becoming its partner. As a teacher I accept being a student's partner but it is another matter being his or her minder and babysitter.
I think Chinese parents should change their attitude to their own progeny. Children should no longer be regarded as retirement fund providers. Give them undivided attention when they need you.
ROGER BEAUD,
Guangdong
