Dear Editor:
Re: Teacher disciplined for using inappropriate force, Burnaby NOW, Nov. 15.
I read about the teacher who was using inappropriate discipline. I think that she should have been fired immediately for mistreating her students.
I do remember the days when I was in elementary school. I remember the Grade 3 teacher that I had spanked me on the behind with a wooden pad. I did cry, though I do think it was uncalled for.
Another time in Grade 4, where the teacher knocked down my text book, which I had up and was reading. She was the kind of teacher who was not liked by her students. I did see her when I was in my senior years at secondary and wanted to confront her about what she had done to me.
In Grade 7, the teacher was teaching for one semester. I remember being spanked by the teacher for being late. It was embarrassing in front of some of the students who were in class at the time.
It was then that I wished I had the courage to stand up and report to the school principal to what was going on.
I don’t think in the ’70s that teachers were allowed to strike a child and get away with it.
I do know that if a teacher does strike a student in class, it can be reported and possibly the teacher would be terminated from teaching.
I also remember reading in the ’70s about a teacher in elementary school who had fingered a student. The young girl told her parents about what happened.
The teacher was fired from teaching and was asked to leave town.
I wanted to share my experience as to what happened to me in elementary school and to let students know that they can report incidents, which may lead to termination.
