A female student was slapped by a teacher in the middle of the class. A heavy insult in the space of the school. A public apology was ignored and delayed. And a series of slow reactions, avoiding responsibility from the school before being forced to admit their mistakes.
The events that just happened at Anhxtanh High School (Hai Phong) made parents and the public indignant.
In this incident, not only the teacher's violent behavior is condemnable, but the irresponsible and impatient behavior from the board of directors is what really makes people worry.
When a student is physically and mentally injured, the first thing a principal should do is not mention the exam or " cool down" the situation, but ask about their health, spirit and commitment to overcome the mistake with specific actions.
From a slapping in class, the incident led to a series of errors: the teacher did not admit her mistake, the board did not respond in time, parents had to send a petition to the police and the Department of Education before the school started speaking.
It is that delay that makes an issue that can be resolved with an open-minded and responsible attitude become a social insecurity, deeply damaging the trust of parents - not only for an individual but for an entire school.
The school cannot use the pressure of exams to avoid responsibility. There is no reason to put the right to respect and protection of students in this incident above it.
In particular, apologizing to students "in a closed room", as a form of separate reconciliation, cannot replace a public apology, when the incident has occurred publicly in front of the class.
Wherever there is a fight, there is an apology - not only a requirement of parents but also a minimum principle of fairness in education.
Worryingly, this is not an isolated incident. Recently, many cases of teachers with anti-educational behavior have continued to occur nationwide, from scolding students with insulting words, improperly punishing them to applying mental or physical violence.
These incidents not only directly harm students but also silently destroy trust in the school environment, which should be a safe haven for young people.
To regain that trust, schools and the education sector must make more apology, by reviewing school culture, professional ethics and governance capacity of the school system at all levels across the country.
There should be training sessions on pedagogical skills, handling situations, and dealing with students.
A teacher's slapping can cause students to feel pain for a few seconds. But avoiding, remaining silent and handling a case disrespectfully can cause a family and the whole society to lose trust for many years.
And when schools are no longer a place for students to safely correct their mistakes, it is not a true educational environment.
