When does a teacher commit a criminal offence ?

As a teacher, there are some things that are 'criminal'.  I am using the word 'criminal' knowing very well what it means.  Some things criminal include : not taking class, knowingly taking things wrongly, wantonly failing a student, being partial to a student or some students on the basis of religion, background (social and economic), colour, race or looks, telling a student she/he is worth nothing, she/he is not capable, putting down a student, pandering to a select few at the cost of the class.....  Many might wonder, what is criminal about the above ?  It didn't kill anyone, nor did it spoil someone's life.  Question is, 'Are you sure ? '.  There is something called the 'spirit'.  Killing the spirit of a student in any way is criminal because it influences her/his whole life.  It may not be visible as bleeding or a broken arm.  It is worse than that.  A cut or broken arm will heal but the spirit when killed, there is no surety if it can become alive as before without any effect.  So, what is this 'spirit' that is being spoken about ?  Spirit is the will of a student to aspire, to learn, to try, to fail and rise, to go beyond, challenge known and unknown limitations, to try and excel in a chosen field, to learn a vocation, to unearth a hidden talent, to push boundaries, to dream.

So, how does a teacher kill all of this ?  When a teacher does not correct a wrong, when a teacher does not encourage, when a teacher does not push a student beyond her/his comfort zone, when a teacher does not help a student break limitations and boundaries she/he set, when a teacher does not pull down myths and help unearth the truth, when a teacher does not break barriers, when a teacher sets one's own boundaries for students to suit their own silly needs, when a teacher does not help a student excel, when a teacher is happy with what a student is currently, knowing there is so much more in them, when a teacher tries limiting a students talent, curtailing a students abilities, when a teacher does not dream for a student, then a teacher is killing the spirit.   That is a criminal offence.

A student at twenty has a spirit that is unquenchable, a spirit that is willing to try, a spirit that is giving, a spirit that thrives on challenge, a spirit that dreams big and looks forward to a future.   The spirit instead of soaring in the sky, challenging limits, reaching for an upper limit that does not exist, is clipped to stick to the ground. How long will a spirit survive being caged, by walls that they didn't set, by walls that are invisible, by walls that someone else defined, by dreams that are crushed by someone ?  The spirit then dies.  This death is not natural.  It is killing.  That is a criminal offence.


Disclaimer :  The above views are mine and mine alone.