S'pore boys' school teacher forced to resign by influential and affluent parent

[kaipoh]

如果故事是真的,該把它暴光,问lhl是不是有钱大晒沒钱沒公理.

some years ago, a friend's wife, who taught in a well-known boys' school, reprimanded a student for breaking some flower pots. The student's father, an influential and affluent individual, demanded that the teacher be dismissed.

The principal was torn between supporting the teacher, who did nothing wrong, and the parent, who had made substantial monetary contributions to the school. Eventually, to resolve the matter, the teacher resigned.
Published in st: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/...hools-20140506

full letter:


Time for corporal punishment in schools?

Ms catherine ng's letter ("timely reminder for 'monster parents' "; last saturday) reminds me of similar stories i frequently hear from friends whose spouses or children are school teachers.

It underscores the great stress teachers face from the exacting demands of not only their schools and the education ministry, but also unreasonable and disrespectful parents.

Some teachers are chided and blamed when they notify parents of their children's habitual tardiness, refusal to submit homework, misbehaviour and so on.

Some years ago, a friend's wife, who taught in a well-known boys' school, reprimanded a student for breaking some flower pots. The student's father, an influential and affluent individual, demanded that the teacher be dismissed.

The principal was torn between supporting the teacher, who did nothing wrong, and the parent, who had made substantial monetary contributions to the school. Eventually, to resolve the matter, the teacher resigned.

On the one hand, parents expect schools to teach students good moral values, on top of developing their academic and mental abilities. On the other hand, they are quick to blame the schools when their children deviate from acceptable norms. In doing so, they are condoning negative behaviour.

So, unless we take concrete steps to address this problem, we risk raising generations of people who are ill-disciplined, morally deficient and disobedient, with no qualms about using influence and affluence unfairly.

We need a concerted effort by the ministry, schools and parents, working as partners, to address this problem.

First, principals must support the teachers as long as the latter's actions are fair and reasonable. They must not succumb to pressure from parents, no matter how influential they are.

Similarly, the ministry must impress upon principals and teachers their role as imparters of knowledge and moral values, and not succumb to threats from parents.

Second, while schools are expected to impart good values to students, parents must not scuttle or negate these efforts by setting bad examples for their children.

Perhaps it is time to re-introduce corporal punishment in schools, which is effective if meted out judiciously.

Lawrence loh kiah muan

 

[The_Hypocrite]

If the kids r spoilt n the parents dont discipline their kids. It just means the kids will suffer when they grow up. How many of those ill discipline spoilt rich kids end up dying on crashing vehicles or drug OD etc?

During our time. Teachers were like kings..tell parents means kenna hantam by parents..teachers can b abusive n they get away w it. Not the school kids

 

[Asterix]

It all boils down to Sinkies having no balls
Teacher did right thing but takes the fall
Fragrant Harbour also got elite school
Pupils emerge educated and not fools
Headmaster as advisor to opposition party
In Sinkieland like that his job sure mati


Veteran headmaster has last laugh

After 12 years at the helm of an elite boys' school, Terence Chang Cheuk-cheung has seen enough 'monster parents' to make even a veteran headmaster cry. Instead, he will have a laugh.

The 63-year-old plans to celebrate his retirement as headmaster of the Diocesan Boys' School by doing two nights of stand-up comedy in which he will share his most incredible pupil-parent anecdotes.

Although Chang writes a newspaper column, served on the Arts Development Council and worked as an adviser to the New People's Party, the shows on July 12 and July 13 at the Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre represent his first attempt at stand-up.

He said the comedy routine would serve as 'self therapy' after four decades as an educator, a period during which parents have grown increasingly worried and, at times, overbearing.

'In the past, I would never see parents get so involved in their child's school affairs,' said Chang as he strolled through the 143-year-old school's colonial building in Mong Kok, greeted by waving pupils.

'There was a young pupil who scraped his knee in a sports game,' he said. 'There was a tiny bit of blood, but we notified the parent who insisted we call an ambulance and we refused. In fact, the child himself got up to play immediately.'

There was another time when a pupil was injured in a fight. Years later, the child's parents tried to sue Chang. They said their son's fingers hurt and he could not play violin. The case was dropped, but it left an indelible mark on Chang's memory.

'A minor injury or defeat is normal now and then, and parents need to relax,' Chang said.

While he is eager to share some laughs at the expense of former pupils and parents, some of his fondest memories involve tears shed after defeat in some competition or another.

'Let them shed their tears,' Chang said. 'It is when we cry that we reflect on our mistakes. You will never forget a loss.'

Chang has led the school through 12 years of trials and tribulations. He was criticised in 2003, when he spearheaded conversion from a public school to a direct-subsidy school, resulting in higher tuition fees.

Many feared the change would lock out pupils from poorer families, but Chang said such concerns were unfounded.'Becoming a DSS has given us more room for development,' Chang said. 'We've added new buildings and we've implemented the International Baccalaureate programme.'
Chang said the school provided ample financial assistance.

As he prepares to hand the headmaster's office to current culture dean Ronnie Cheng Kay-yen in August, Chang said he was ready for a new chapter away from the education sector.

His greatest hope is that his school's graduates go on to become responsible adults.

'Over the years, I've heard from many employers that young people quit as soon as they face difficulties,' Chang said. 'Being responsible means persistence in overcoming hardships.'

http://www.scmp.com/article/1004729/veteran-headmaster-has-last-laugh

 

[congo9]

Our new generation parents need to get a grip on their EGO.

When a child got scolded by teachers, there is bound to be some mistake pupils make.

 

[hurley]

sinkie parents are the worst. dont want to discipline their child and leave it to the teachers.

when the teachers discipline, parents complain and the teacher lose their job

 

[blindswordsman]

independent and autonomous schools have their programs to run, funding from MOE tak cukup, tak boleh jalan...
what to do? raise funds loh, pander to those atas atas parents loh...

So, we have to ask ourselves why pappies gave away free scholarship to foreigners and then let them run road without serving the bond? Why not use that money spent on useless FTsh to support the schools in SG?

Schools if made autonomous have to beg for funding from parents, it creates opportunities for malpractices between rich parents and school heads. Can't the pappies see this risk?

 

[neddy]

You get what you deserve, living in a Confucius society.

I remembered the excellent treatment from teachers my best friend had because when the school need donation, they come to beg from the rich family.

So, he is always the apple of the eyes among the teachers, who take special care of him during excursion. Eg packed lunch is better than others.

But the trouble is that his family members grew up spoilt. When the maid cannot cope, they called in nurses to help, and treat the nurses like maids.

Somehow, the family managed to make a lot of people working for them miserable, and some even suffered permanent health issues over dealing with them.

I think the gods are scared of them as well. No karma for them.

 

[frenchbriefs]

best of all when u have a rich and influential parent to carry ur whitehorse ass all the way to the ministry cabinet of singapore!!!!

 

[Narong Wongwan]

you know something is wrong when the MOE start treating education as a business.

Vile pappies treat every fuck thing as a business!
And must be pao jiak sure win profitable business.

 

[GoldenDragon]

you know something is wrong when the MOE start treating education as a business.

Dir-Gen influenced by her sister.

 

[zhihau]

Dir-Gen influenced by her sister.

HP worked her way up iirc, assisted or not is another question, she should know better that education is a life long mission. Chinese saying: 一日为师，终生为父。

 

[zhihau]

Vile pappies treat every fuck thing as a business!
And must be pao jiak sure win profitable business.

wonder how is A*Star doing... saw a picture of an A*Star researcher in one of the photos

 

[GingerLee]

wonder how is A*Star doing... saw a picture of an A*Star researcher in one of the photos

What photo?

Clicking on link in first post leads to "oops requested page is not available"!

 

[HTOLAS]

I believe all 3 people in this saga are now dead, the youngest dying the youngest.

There was a famous story about former CJ Wee Chong Jin where his son was hauled to the Principal office for keeping long hair. The principal threatened to call his father. The son said go ahead. The principal called the CJ and guess what, the CJ told him it's a family tradition to keep long hair!!

 

[syed putra]

If you got money,send your kids to eton college in bangkok,marlborough in iskandar or epsom in klang valley.why contribute to local system? Even rich british and american parents send their kids to private schools.

 

[zhihau]

What photo?

Clicking on link in first post leads to "oops requested page is not available"!

my bad, was looking at a photo which floated around of a potential candidate from the MIW whom is an A*Star researcher.

 

[escher]

Vile pappies treat every fuck thing as a business!
And must be pao jiak sure win profitable business.

The PAP make it their business to turn Singapore into Stinkapore with the stench of rotteness of LKY.

HANG OR BBQ OR GIVE 4 NEW ARSEHOLES TO PAP COCKROACHES MAGGOTS AND THEIR COLLABORATORS TO CLEANSE STINKAPORE INTO SINGAPORE

 

[apogee]

I really hope that more and more of the ruling elite bend school rules. Influential and very rich towkays should also join in, threatening to dismiss principals or teachers if the latter refuse to accede to their whims.

This is just peanuts. In the USA, they just bring a gun.

 

[apogee]

There was a famous story about former CJ Wee Chong Jin where his son was hauled to the Principal office for keeping long hair. The principal threatened to call his father. The son said go ahead. The principal called the CJ and guess what, the CJ told him it's a family tradition to keep long hair!!

The CJ secretly became a Silk.

 

[virus]

I believe all 3 people in this saga are now dead, the youngest dying the youngest.

another fine example of old fart outliving some.