Time for Tough Sentences for teachers who break the law.
It is time the law gave appropriate sentences to teachers who break the law. There is no place for mediation between schools and parents to settle these matters, the police must charge them and the judges must deal with them appropriately.
All too often we see teachers walking away free, and even in some cases continuing to work as teachers. See the case of Suwattana Permpool for example. This woman admitted breaking the law for years but she was not even sacked from the school despite the fact that the MoE promised a full investigation.
More recently the events at St Marys College in Nakhon Ratchasima led to three teachers being jailed, but even these were reduced to suspended sentences. Also we have the up coming court case of the teachers at Pakpranang and hopefully they will be dealt with severely.
There is only one way to stop Thai teachers persistently breaking the law and that is to APPLY the law. This means:-
1. The courts apply the law by handing out tough sentences on child abusers.
2. The law take action against schools, school principals and school directors as well as the individual teachers. If directors are held responsible they would stop it.
If these two things were done teachers, and schools, would quickly understand that abusing children, by using violence, will no longer be tolerated and that they will face the ruin of their lives and careers if they continue to do so.
Posted on April 19, 2011, in Thai Teachers and tagged jail, jailed, sentence, st marys Nakhon Ratchasima, suwattana permool, Thai Teachers, the law. Bookmark the permalink. 17 Comments.
Thai Teachers 
Agree! Prison is the only place for people who abuse power and abuse our children.
If students know they will not be punished even though they consistently make teaching impossible thus preventing good students from learning by shouting, hitting each other, throwing things, running around, slamming doors, talking loudly to one another and so on and so forth(and all this during class), then they will be the ones taking advantage of that. If the teacher can not take action by reporting the student to the disciplinary department which decides what punishment is suitable based on the reported violations, then the teacher actually will be the one being constantly abused, as he is without authority. The disciplinary department serves as the official body in a Thai school where a teacher, who has had special training to deal with children that exhibit extreme behaviour follows strict rules that regulate corporate punishment. Warning a student that he/she has crossed the line, and will be reported if one keeps ignoring classroom rules and regulations functions as an extremely effective deterrent in most cases.
Teachers themselves however should refrain from taking matters into their own hands, and therefore use the stick only what it is designed for. To point to what is written on the board.
It is clear that the initiators / webmasters of this website have no clue about teaching and child psychology, and that a school can not function if its rules and regulations can be violated by its students because they know they only exist on paper, so they can do whatever they want without being held responsible.
Do you really think that is the right message to send them, because doing so would also send the message that once they have left school and enter society, they can continue with their habit of ignoring rules and regulations. Thinking they can get away with anything, they’d soon be facing the consequences of your philosophy, and gaol-time!
Think hard about that!
James
You are missing the most important factor here. It is ILLEGAL in Thailan for ANY teacher to hit a child. Of course we agree that schools must have rules and regualtions – but at the same time THEY must follow the rules and regulations too.
You seem to be saying that if a child breaks the rules they must be punished (agree with that) but that if a teacher breaks the LAW that is fine!!??
James, are you teacher in Thailand?
Do you have teacher who does as you describe?
Are you aware he/she is breaking the law?
For me it sounds like you work in school here and your school has discipline officer who canes children? If that is true you are just as guilty for not reporting this person.
You say this “The disciplinary department serves as the official body in a Thai school where a teacher, who has had special training to deal with children that exhibit extreme behaviour follows strict rules that regulate corporate punishment”.
The ONLY rules that regulate corporal is that it is NOT allowed.
I have taught in Thailand for 14 years and I can assure you it is 100% illegal for any school employee to hit a kid. Despite the fact that you appear to agree with this your beliefs are irrelevant. Teachers should be the last people who openly break the law.
james, I have some sympathy with what you say, if only it were TRUE. The facts are that most offences are classroom teachers lashing out. 90% of such assaults are for minor offences, the most common is getting homework wrong! When was getting homework wrong a serious misdemeanour?
To James. If you are going to teach in our country please learn the law first. This site is 100% right and you say that teachers in your school do this. They are very bad peoples and we do not want them in the Thailand schools. Most Thai teacher are against this but too afraid to say.
James your comments are very very disturbing. I actually don’t believe you are a teacher here because if you were you would know that the only “strict rules that regulate corporate punishment” (your words) are that it is BANNED. If you have a teacher in your school who is doing this he or she is committing a CRIMINAL act, regardless of how well trained he or she may be!. If the school you work in permits this then you clearly have a director who is either ignorant of the law or just doesn’t care. Law is law, you can’t pick and choose which you obey and which you do not.
To support my arguments in my previous post, here’s a perfect example that shows what happens if schools let students run amok without making them accountable for their behaviour. Remember this?
“Three students from the Pathumwan Institute of Technology were severely injured in a drive-by shooting yesterday.
The attack sparked concerns that the longstanding rivalry between Pathumwan and Rajamangala Institute of Technology’s Uthen Thawai campus could again erupt into violence.”
As reported in Thai media, see http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/31988/.
Yes and as 74% of teachers and schools cane children it is clearly not working – is it??
I think not high as 74% but maybe 30 or 40. Whatever they are no good teachers and we all want them to retire and go as only old teachers do this.
And you think that if kids see teachers break the law that makes them have respect for the law? How odd! Teachers have a duty to lead by example, if teachers obey the law there is a far higher chance that the children will do likewise. I agree kids who break school rules have to be punished but not by using illegal means. Breaking rules is one thing, breaking the law is a different matter entirely.
Your comment about the use of the stick to point at the blackboard. Teachers should never have a stick in the classroom EVER! If a teacher took a stick into a classroom where I work, even to point at the board, that stick would be removed. Teachers have arms and fingers, or at least the vast majority do. Give them the implement and they will use (abuse) it.
James I think you should read these two articles VERY carefully.
This one is from the Ministery of Education website – as you can see it states very clearly that corporal punishment is illegal.
http://www.moe.go.th/moe/upload/edunews/htmlfiles/3455-4923.html
And also
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/08/22/opinion/opinion_30081149.php
Maybe you think Khun Burin is not Thai either?
On big problem is that the abusers get to hide. 99% of teachers are decent people but the profession will always attract sadists and perverts. Problem in Thailand is that the good teachers protect the bad ones for fear of damaging the school. The only way to stop the pervs is to apply the law and stop it totally. That way the perv no longer has a place to hide. I am not anti CP (in a controlled environment) but I agree with the website that teachers should be the last people in society so openly breaking the law.
I recently got my permit and i have been workin really fine in a bangkok language school but there is a teacher who beats up kids every and then! Any chance with a police number(english) or email to report this teacher? Thanks
How can i report this bad vice to police?
Garry
You can send us an email and we will visit the school.
OR you can call Childline on 1387 and report it and they will contact the school and the Ministry.
In both cases your anonymity is guaranteed.
We need the name of the school, the teachers name and, if possible, some evidence or at least a record of this i.e. the time and date of an incident.
PLEASE contact us, without poeple reporting we are helpless.