Don't Let Prejudice Cloud Our Judgment

           

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life
a wonderful journey.

The investigation into the leak of Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) papers has become breaking news in many newspapers and tabloids. As the probe widens, more teachers have been arrested to help police with the investigation. Consequently, people start being judgmental and stop believing in teachers, not only the ones involved, but also those who are not. This over-generalization should not occur and the definition of the noble profession should remain positive. It is not fair to judge the quality of other apples in the basket based solely on the bad one on top. It is also necessary for us to filter everything we hear so that we will not jump to conclusions. After all, we should think before we leap, shouldn’t we?

            To treat teachers who have nothing to do with the offence as badly as the ones who have tarnished the good name of the profession, is unjust and unprofessional. It might be hard to forget a person’s mistake but to recollect his good deeds may help the forgiving process.

Let’s look at the bright side of the continuum. Teaching is, figuratively speaking, a profession that covers many other professions, too. Teachers are “doctors” who inject pace and purpose into lessons. They are “pilots” who fly the students high to achieve their dreams. They are “comedians” who crack jokes to give their students a break from studies. They are “chefs” who serve students food for thought. They are “photographers” who capture their audience’s attention in the classroom. They are “scientists” who experiment different strategies of learning. They are “designers” who design creative activities during lessons. They are “dancers” who ensure that students take the right steps and moves in life. They are “police officers” who help discipline the children at school. Their contributions to the world of education are countless and priceless, and they deserve our appreciation.

East of Eden published in 1952

In his 1952 novel, East of Eden, author John Steinbeck used this word, timshel- a Hebrew word that means the ‘power to choose’ between what is right and what is wrong. According to the literary work, humans have the right to make a choice in life but they have to bear with the outcomes. In the case of the leak, those involved with the crime have chosen to take the risk as they are aware of the repercussions of their actions. However, we should not punish other teachers who stay ethical and loyal to their profession. In fact, we need to be proud of them for sustaining the beauty and quality of the teaching profession.

Do not let prejudice control us and prevent us from being able to differentiate between right and wrong, innocence and guilt, and good and bad. 

It costs our teachers blood, sweat and tears to help us achieve our successes today, and we owe them for that.

18 September 2014