In last night's episode of 3rd Degree, Debora Patta explored a story that seems a little far fetched and if it wasn't for the police giving details of the cases, I would have thought otherwise.
In a small town in North West, a child, named Thandi*, was made to eat feaces all because her teachers were of the opinion that she relieved herself in the staff bathroom. The child at the centre of the storm, insists that it wasn't her, though at the time of the incident, her classmates insisted it was her. The teachers were utterly furious and ordered Thandi to eat the sh*t. The pupil's world changed forever. She refused to eat food at home, her mother did some probing and nothing could have prepared her for the shock that was to follow.
The child has since changed schools and the teachers and school principal are maintaining that no such incident happened. Psychologists who spoke with Thandi and doctors who examined her, say the teacher-sh*t-eating by the pupil, did take place. The teacher was sentenced to six months imprisonment or R1 000.00 fine. Obviously any underpaid teacher can afford this meagre fine and is back at school teaching while the pupil's life will never be the same again.
I argue that the punitive measure taken against the teacher is a slap on the wrist and the justice system failed Thandi. As for Busisiwe, the teacher, she deserves to be stripped of her teaching qualification and be blacklisted from any governemnt employment.
In another incident in a KZN township/village, a pupil names Sna, took his own life after being being subjected to constant humiliation by class teacher at a boarding school. Sna was a a very slow-learner and teachers were impatient with him. They would call him all classroom demeaning names until his confidence was shuttered. One day he came to class allegedly without having written his homework and the teacher lost it with him. He said all sorts of thing. The mother tried to intervene and it was very clear the teacher doesn't like Sna.
The mother pleaded that Sna be taken to another class but it all fell on deaf ears. Sna's mother could not find an alternative school for her son as it was laready in the middle of the year. The humiliation continued unabated. One school hloiday, Sna took his life because the humiliation was just too much and he saw it fit that it's better if he just died. The mother relived the horrible day as she took 3rd Degree producers to where her son hanged himself and her son's grave. The department of education investigated and the investigation hasn't been finalised as yet.
I argue that the teacher failed to do her job - that of equipping pupils with knowledge and literacy and isn't worthy of the 8.5% as well as the R1000.00 housing allowance they are demanding from the government. It must be pointed out that there are far much more hard working teachers who go beyond the call of duty to ensure their pupils get what they should. These teachers who are far much worse than bantu education and the Reitz Four, tarnish the hard work other teachers are busy doing. Despicable teachers are not worthy of salary increases, let alone being called a teacher.
In another story, pupils are stipped off their clothes in school bathrooms and fondled in their genitalia because teachers are convinced that's where they hide their cell phones. In practice, primary school children are not allowed to take their cell phones to school but there are exceptional circumstances that necessitate that as parents, we let our children take their cell phones to school because the school grounds are no longer safe.
A child's cell phone rang in class and a teacher's fury and stress from her own home turned in on the child.
These are tales that are happening in our schools. Those with DSTV can tell us what Debora Patta discussed with her studio guests.
My jaw was literally on the floor after hearing this stories. As I am going become a father a little later this year, I ask myself: What will I do if something of this nature happened to my child? Do I take the law into my own hands and get even with the teacher? It's very clear that if you have money, you can buy freedom. At the end of the day, an eye for an eye makes us all blind just as fighting fire with fire burns us all. I am of the firm view that the justice system in this country fails the poor despite the freedom charter saying all shall be equal before the law. Cases are dragging on and on for years and it seems criminals such as these despicable teachers will never be brought to book as their money can easily buy them freedom.