THE DAY I STOOD UP FOR A COLLEAGUE

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It happened some years ago in the School where I work.

I was on duty that day and as a duty teacher, I needed to stay at the gate to reprimand late comers and make them do work like cleaning the compound. We have cleaners though but we just find a way to make late comers desist from late coming.

So on this day, a parent and her son who looks like a thug stopped by the gate, parked their car and inquired from me about a particular teacher.

"Where is Mr A" they asked?

" Is there a problem?" I asked too.😅

" I say where is Mr A" the thug lashed back.

I wasn't scared. I know the whole school can handle just one thug, hahaha. Unless he came with a gun.

I noticed a student with them and as I asked "Deborah, what is it? What happened that you brought your Mum and this thug?"

" Hey woman, watch your tongue". The thug warned.

" Oh, you even know Deborah?" The woman asked.

" Sure, I know her. I taught her from JSS 1 , although she is not offering my subject in Senior class" I replied.

" Now can you talk to me like a Mother? What happened and why are you people aggressively looking for Mr A?" . I asked again.

The woman showed me the swollen hands of the child and a mark on her leg. She asked me if my child is flogged like that would I be pleased?

I apologized for the swollen hands and mark on the legs. I believe that a teacher should not leave a mark on a child he corrected. I really don't like that, so I tried to pacify the Woman.

"So sorry her hand got swollen, Madam." I pleaded. But then I asked the girl what happened.

She narrated that her class was noisy and Mr A who was passing by, stopped to calm the noise. While talking to them about the need to be calm and read their books even if they are in a free period, someone hissed at the teacher. When the teacher inquired of who must have done that, no one owned up. And so the teacher selected the students sitting in that area and gave them opportunity to report the culprit. But when no one was ready to report him/her, the teacher decided to give them two strokes each. One on the palm and as they were leaving back to their seats, he would give another on the leg. That was the story from Deborah's side.

So, I turned to the Woman and told her that it was wrong for them to be noisy and then a teacher tried to calm them, someone hissed at him. It is natural for him to reprimand them.

She bursted into anger and said "And flog my child's hand like this?"

I asked "Deborah, did he give you more strokes than others?"

She said No. She went further to explain that she was scared of receiving the cane, so she didn't position her palm well and the cane landed wrongly.

I believe everything is not about flogging, but if you must, then if a child refuses to take the strokes, do not force it. Once you notice she is afraid and not stretching her hands well, leave her and change the punishment or report to a higher authority where she will get worse punishment.

So after listening to Deborah's story, I turned to the woman, still pacifying her and said she should see that her child was not given more strokes and she didn't give her palm well. I thought that was enough.

She bursted into another anger, "I have brought my Son to teach that teacher a lesson. See her hands are swollen and see mark on her legs, I will not accept this".

It was then I almost lost my temper too. But I understand her rage, So calmly I asked her "Have you ever beaten this child at home?"

" Yes" she replied "but not like this". Stretching the hands again.

I said to her "So one day, in the process of beating your child, if she didn't stretch her hands well and it gets swollen or you leave a mark on her body, do you report yourself in your family house? Who comes to chastise you for correcting your child?"

I went further to let her know that she should first blame the child for being found among noise makers and more importantly, not being able to stand up for her right. If you ask me, she should refuse to be flogged on account of another person's offense, but instead report the culprit to bear the consequence of his/ her insolence. I told her, "from your Daughter's story, do you think she approves of you being here to beat up her teacher? She speaks like someone who knows she and others are guilty and deserves the strokes. She even told us that she didn't stretch out her palm well".

Well, I promised her I will report the case and the School will warn the teacher to do better next time, but coming here with her thug of a son to beat up a teacher is very unnecessary.

All I heard the thug say was "Do you know who my father is? If he comes here, he will burn down this School"

I respectfully ordered them to leave the premises and maybe get their Father whom I think will understand the situation better .

The woman just told the Son to enter into the car and they left. Tomorrow, the girl came late to School 😅

I told her that if she comes late again, I will beat her more than Mr A did and I will wait for the thug. I asked "Or they willfully dropped you late, so they can see what I will do, right?"

She said no and apologized. She thanked me for standing up for Mr A yesterday and said her Mother said she likes me, that she should greet me. When I asked why, she said even when I saw a thug, I was ready to defend my colleague and the question I asked her about beating her child and not reporting herself to the family house when she injures her really touched her mother.

OUR RELATIONSHIP? When I told the teacher how I defended him, he didn't believe it until other teachers who were at the gate too confirmed it and he went to see the girl. It made my relationship with the teacher stronger. But above all, I made friend with the student and told her to avoid trouble that it's going to be a shame and embarrassment if not a curse for her thug to come to School and beat up a teacher who is helping to mould her life. Again, I asked what her Mum does for a living. When I found that she sells phone and computer accessories, she became my customer for charger, antivirus, phone pouch and cartridge for printing.😅😅

That was how I bought a case that wasn't mine. Thank God thug didn't land me a slap. Hahahaha

This is my entry into @hivelearners task for Mon/Tuesday 🙈. Better late than never🙏

Guys, I hope you have joined in @princessbusayo, @beckyroyal. Don't forget to go promote hive on X using @hivelearners handle n tag. My post was delayed cos am having issues with peakd frontend. I just remembered that I can still use other frontends 🙈

What do you think guys?

Did the teacher go to the extreme? Did I do well standing up for him? Should a student be disciplined to that extent of inflicting injury?

I rest my case 😅

Thanks for coming around to cheer me. You visits are always appreciated.

Still your girl, @adoore-eu