Time for society to stand trial
Adults : Poor role models
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 13, 2015 -

Teaching, it seems can be a dangerous vocation.

An exception it is, but the report that a teacher was stabbed five times by a Class XII student is a sad reflection of the reality that surrounds everyone.

As reported, the teacher concerned was attacked with a knife for he had pulled up the student for drinking and obviously the said student was a boarder.

A Class XII student, someone who should have been burning the midnight oil preparing for the Board exam was caught drinking and in return he had the audacity to stab the teacher who had reported the matter to his parents.

Things cannot get more disturbing than this and while the incident may be viewed as an isolated case, the fact is, the social climate obviously had an influence on how the student responded to the situation.

It is here that parents, teachers, the Government, experts in dealing with issues of adolescents, school authorities, in fact everyone should acknowledge the point that students are not immune to their surroundings.

The world is a class room and this applies not only to students but everyone and care needs to be taken to see that the young minds are not needlessly exposed to the ugly side of life.

This is not to condone the act of the young student but to take cognizance of the fact that no man is an island and what happens in society is sure to have a deep impact on the minds of young students.

The Sangai Express did not mention the name of the young student, for despite the gravity of his act, it stands that he may still be a minor and no youngster should be made notorious by naming him or her in ugly incidents.

Last heard, the teacher was undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Shija hospital and not surprising.

Remember he was stabbed five times. Scary thought it is that a young boy, who is yet to reach adulthood, would have the temerity to repeatedly stab a teacher five times.

Murder may not have been on his mind, but the intensity of the attack is disturbing.

It is here that everyone should wake up and admit that there is something seriously wrong with the manner in which society as a whole has been treating and moulding the minds of youngsters.

It says something that a student merely studying in Class XII has picked up the language of violence at such a young age and this is where society as a whole need to do some serious self introspection.

In more ways than one, the young student is also a product of society and whatever happens here must have had an impact on his young mind.

Films, television shows etc obviously have an impact but so do too the daily occurrences.

When violence becomes the staple diet of a society then it can have profound impact on the young minds and this is exactly what Manipur has been witnessing for decades.

Not the time for witch hunting, but more than right that everyone should come to terms with the fact that the adults of society have failed in being good role models for the youngsters.