JC teachers paid Pri and Sec teachers' debt

Many teachers take their young charges in primary and to a lesser degree secondary school for granted. Quite a few live near the edge of bullying the pupils. You know is bullying when there is an abuse of authority an/or taking advantage of the children ignorance. By the time these pupils get to JC, the transactions change dramatically. To me this is a gross failure of character education. Educators simply thought the kids were stupid and failed to walk their talk. The kids never bought their messages, they were just smart not to get into trouble by toeing the line. How many kids can remember what the principal and teachers told them about character. A list of dos and don'ts just wouldn't cut it.

I told my kids long ago, smart rules increase everyone's freedom. I reinforced that truth with many examples. I didn't tell them then that it also actually enforces the Golden Rule when people cannot be counted on to do so. Rules that are for the convenience of the powerful (in school they are the teachers) are not good rules. In the extreme they are used to justify bullying. You don't want them.