Lack of character on the part of teachers can result in bullying of students. Are you surprised?
As a school principal, at both elementary and secondary levels, I have seen teachers bully students. Oh, they didn’t stuff them in lockers, or swish their heads in flushing toilets, or demand their lunch money. They did, however, pursue ongoing bullying actions against certain students.
Teachers are hampered by regulations from most physical bullying. A fear of the courts restrains their hands from physical abuse. Such regulations do not stamp out bullying. They simply cause teachers to seek out other means of bullying. Lacking respect, compassion, and self-control, a bully teacher can make a student’s life difficult. When bullying teachers unite against a student, it can become unbearable.
Lack of character in the form of disrespect was often at fault in such bullying; just as it is when young people bully one another. Teachers who do not respect a particular student are likely to show their lack of respect by bullying the student. How? They may make repeated, unnecessary, negative comments on the student’s appearance. They may purposefully ignore the student – or heap on negative attention. Teachers bully when they roll their eyes, smile condescendingly, or outright scoff at answers coming from a given student. Some teachers pretend to forget the student’s name, mispronounce it repeatedly, or purposely call the student by a wrong name. There are many ways of letting a student know that you do not respect him or her. Bully teachers use all of these in their efforts to put down some students.
Why would a teacher exert effort to show a lack of respect for a student? Perhaps the student is very popular, and the teacher wants to destroy that popularity. Some teachers are jealous of student popularity, having themselves been unpopular in school. Perhaps the student wields a degree of power among other students, and the teacher perceives it as a threat to his or her own power. By putting down a student, teachers may try to raise themselves in the eyes of their students.
Lack of character in the form of uncompassionate treatment can also be found in teachers. The student that is self-conscious, shy, or suffering in some other emotional way may become the victim of teacher bullying rather than teacher compassion. The teacher may “hammer” students who need a sympathetic, listening ear. Students who need to be pulled up may be put down in front of peers. Students who are wrestling with emotional problems may find themselves repeatedly ridiculed for daydreaming. A bullying teacher may threaten a student – with academic, not physical, harm.
What is at the bottom of bully teachers failing to show compassion to students? Every student needs it. Every person of character exercises compassion. Why would teachers fall short in this area? Many teachers enter the classroom simply to collect a paycheck. They may have skills to convey mathematical concepts. They may be gifted in unlocking the mysteries of science. However, they don’t want to get involved in students’ inner needs. They have not built compassion into their lives, and would rather threaten a student than try to help him or her with emotional problems. They have no time for the exercise of compassion. They believe it is not a part of their job descriptions.
Lack of character is also found in teachers who neglect self-control. Good teachers try always to exercise self-control. Those who have not built this character trait in their lives lash out at students. Often, they loose their fury in one or two students in particular. The student may be guilty of a minute infraction. He or she may be guilty of nothing, but the teacher engages in verbal abuse. This form of bullying can be very destructive to students.
The motivation is often simple. Every conscientious teacher carries a heavy load of responsibility. At times in every teacher’s life, the responsibility seems overwhelming. Self-control is difficult. It takes discipline. It is easier to lose control and lash out at students. They cannot easily fight back.
Do you have bully teachers in your school? If you are a teacher, have you ever been guilty of bullying a student? A bully teacher sets a bad example for students. He or she may teach bullying along with other subjects.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?