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By May Chen
The Straits Times
Monday, Dec 10, 2012
SINGAPORE - RAFFLES Institution (RI) is taking disciplinary action against one of its teachers, Mr Adrian Chng, for using inappropriate language - even though he did not do so in his capacity as an RI teacher.
The Straits Times reported on Thursday that Chew Jee Yang, 17, a Singapore Polytechnic student and member of the national youth softball team, had filed a police report against Mr Chng, the team manager, for his use of expletives in a WhatsApp group chat with three co-captains of the squad.
Wang Zheng Rong, 18, also took issue with Mr Chng's choice of words, although Chin Ken Min, 19, distanced himself from the complaints.
In response to queries from ST, an RI spokesman said: "The school is aware of the incident. It does not condone the use of such language by teachers and we will take the necessary action to discipline and counsel the teacher with regard to his use of inappropriate language."
The Ministry of Education also weighed in on the issue, saying: "We do not condone an educator using such inappropriate language with his students."
Mr Chng, RI's assistant head of the physical education and co-curricular activities department, is also the secretary-general of the Singapore Baseball and Softball Association.
Mr Chng and the three players had been discussing preparations for an overseas tournament in Argentina last month in the WhatsApp conversation, which took place in September. In it, he used expletives such as "f***" no fewer than four times.
A complaint against Mr Chng was also later e-mailed to several parties - including Education Minister Heng Swee Keat and Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong - by Chew and Wang's mothers.
When asked for their views, most observers said educators should set a good example.
Said MP for Tampines GRC and Volleyball Association of Singapore president Baey Yam Keng: "As a teacher, it's unbecoming to use abusive or vulgar language to students. No matter what kind of situation, no matter how provoked he is, he should have self-restraint."
Mr Baey, who is a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, added: "We expect someone in authority, who's a coach or mentor to someone, to set a good example."
Mr Adrian Chong, 45, who has been rugby coach at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) since 1999, said foul language is a definite no-no - for officials and players. He said: "Even the part-timers and old boys who come back to help follow a strict moral code. We can still put across our instructions without having to use profanities."
This case comes in a year when teachers' conduct has come under scrutiny. A new Code of Professional Conduct for Educators, which will include maintaining professional educator-student relationships and social websites, is expected next month.
But Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Inderjit Singh wondered if Mr Chng's case had been overblown.
"You can be a firm disciplinarian without using vulgarities," he said. "I personally think there's no necessity to use vulgarities, but whether it warrants a police report remains an open question."
Where should teachers and sports officials draw the line? Some feel it is getting increasingly tricky to manage teen athletes. Said Mr Gerard Lim, Singapore Judo Federation's high performance manager: "Sometimes talking nicely to them doesn't work. It's much harder to deal with young athletes today than in the past. If they have an axe to grind against you, they know how to get back at you."
Mr Muhammad Rezal Ramli, a teacher at the School of the Arts and also president of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore, has this advice: "The teacher or official must always remember that they're not at the same level as their charges.
"It's not about the closeness or whether they are too 'pally' with the kids, but the relationship must always be a positive one."
[email protected]
The Straits Times
Monday, Dec 10, 2012
SINGAPORE - RAFFLES Institution (RI) is taking disciplinary action against one of its teachers, Mr Adrian Chng, for using inappropriate language - even though he did not do so in his capacity as an RI teacher.
The Straits Times reported on Thursday that Chew Jee Yang, 17, a Singapore Polytechnic student and member of the national youth softball team, had filed a police report against Mr Chng, the team manager, for his use of expletives in a WhatsApp group chat with three co-captains of the squad.
Wang Zheng Rong, 18, also took issue with Mr Chng's choice of words, although Chin Ken Min, 19, distanced himself from the complaints.
In response to queries from ST, an RI spokesman said: "The school is aware of the incident. It does not condone the use of such language by teachers and we will take the necessary action to discipline and counsel the teacher with regard to his use of inappropriate language."
The Ministry of Education also weighed in on the issue, saying: "We do not condone an educator using such inappropriate language with his students."
Mr Chng, RI's assistant head of the physical education and co-curricular activities department, is also the secretary-general of the Singapore Baseball and Softball Association.
Mr Chng and the three players had been discussing preparations for an overseas tournament in Argentina last month in the WhatsApp conversation, which took place in September. In it, he used expletives such as "f***" no fewer than four times.
A complaint against Mr Chng was also later e-mailed to several parties - including Education Minister Heng Swee Keat and Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong - by Chew and Wang's mothers.
When asked for their views, most observers said educators should set a good example.
Said MP for Tampines GRC and Volleyball Association of Singapore president Baey Yam Keng: "As a teacher, it's unbecoming to use abusive or vulgar language to students. No matter what kind of situation, no matter how provoked he is, he should have self-restraint."
Mr Baey, who is a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, added: "We expect someone in authority, who's a coach or mentor to someone, to set a good example."
Mr Adrian Chong, 45, who has been rugby coach at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) since 1999, said foul language is a definite no-no - for officials and players. He said: "Even the part-timers and old boys who come back to help follow a strict moral code. We can still put across our instructions without having to use profanities."
This case comes in a year when teachers' conduct has come under scrutiny. A new Code of Professional Conduct for Educators, which will include maintaining professional educator-student relationships and social websites, is expected next month.
But Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Inderjit Singh wondered if Mr Chng's case had been overblown.
"You can be a firm disciplinarian without using vulgarities," he said. "I personally think there's no necessity to use vulgarities, but whether it warrants a police report remains an open question."
Where should teachers and sports officials draw the line? Some feel it is getting increasingly tricky to manage teen athletes. Said Mr Gerard Lim, Singapore Judo Federation's high performance manager: "Sometimes talking nicely to them doesn't work. It's much harder to deal with young athletes today than in the past. If they have an axe to grind against you, they know how to get back at you."
Mr Muhammad Rezal Ramli, a teacher at the School of the Arts and also president of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore, has this advice: "The teacher or official must always remember that they're not at the same level as their charges.
"It's not about the closeness or whether they are too 'pally' with the kids, but the relationship must always be a positive one."
[email protected]
