A STUDENT slapping a teacher would invite condemnation in any society. But that it has happened in a nation that has since times immemorial revered teachers as gurus is all the more shocking. What is worse is that Class VII student of a Chandigarh school slapping a teacher who pulled him up for not doing his homework is not an isolated incident. Similar cases where teachers have been assaulted, by outsiders too, have been reported in the past. In Chandigarh alone there have been four such cases in past two months. No doubt immediate action, as taken by the UT administration, was in order. However, it has been rightly realised by the Education Department that the slapgate involving an impressionable boy is symptomatic of a deeper malaise. Hence their decision to counsel the students is a wise one.
Over the years there has been a growing distrust between the teacher and taught and the academic atmosphere — be it at schools or colleges — has been vitiated because of the chasm. Undeniably the conduct of some teachers has been questionable too and some of them have even been accused of s*xual misdemeanour. However, the presence of a few black sheep among the teaching community is no excuse for students to turn the relationship upside down. If the law against corporal punishment has made teachers accountable for their actions, it is time students are made to realise that teachers are not "paid instructors" but mentors and guides who can and often do make the most significant contribution in a student's life.
The alarming and growing trend of diminishing respect for teachers needs to be arrested and reversed. A nation that boasts of guru shishya parampara and of disciples known for their sterling sacrifices cannot turn a blind eye to the outrageous conduct of students. At the same time it needs to look within to determine whether arresting a seventh grade student and slapping various charges against him can be a solution. The bridge between students and teachers needs to be built and not burnt.
