The directors, teachers and school psychologists from several primary and secondary schools in the town of Salcedo called on the Ministry of Education to change disciplinary regulations and procedures so that the teachers and principals can more effectively stem the recent outbreak of the antisocial behavior of many students in the district.
The officials have labeled the decline of discipline in the classrooms a catastrophe. They say this is the only way in which the educational centers of this country will be able to recover the authority they have lost. Authorities from several schools told the El Nacional newspaper that “they feel they are with their backs to the wall” because of the lack of discipline among the students which in the great majority seem to be openly defying the ability of educators to impose order in the schools.
The educators indicated that the situation in some of the schools is highly complicated because the regulations governing student conduct that are very benign and flexible concerning the correction of students, sanctions and corrective measures. The educators say that the regulations permit adolescents and children to behave in a manner that is not fit or proper frustrating attempts of teachers to effectively instruct and guide their pupils.
The educators noted that no matter how disruptive the students become, they cannot be expelled from school. The well-known professor told the reporters that at the present time the teachers have lost their authority within the classroom since the previous disciplinary measures to correct the student are no longer in force and now the policies in place fail to serve the best interest of students or the education process.
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El Nacional
22 March 2018
