Daily Lessons from Life 15 April 2013 - Ex-teacher records sex with student then threatens suicide

"Ex-teacher records sex with student then threatens suicide - The New Paper Apr 14 2013

SINGAPORE - He taught her to act. Then he acted on her innocence to seduce her into sex at his home after school.

Aravind, a freelance writer, taught drama class part-time at the school twice a week.

The victim, who cannot be named because of her age, joined the drama class on March 6, 2008, and started sharing her problems at school and at home with him. They became close and on Feb 19, 2009, they entered into a relationship.

About three months later, they had unprotected sex at his home. Despite a pregnancy scare following that tryst, they had sex again the same month on May 31, when they were alone in his flat.

Yesterday in court, the prosecution called for a deterrent sentence of at least 12 months' jail. The aggravating factors include the abuse of his position as a teacher to gratify his sexual urges.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Khoo also noted that the victim was 14 years and one month old when the offences took place. If the offences had been committed just a month earlier, he would have faced charges with heavier penalties - a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine or caning."

A sad story. A few questions to raise:

1. how does a free lance writer become a part-time drama teacher in a MOE school? what is the vetting process and how do school protects the students from future predators like this despicable man?;

2. threatening a school girl with suicide when she wants to, have the good sense too, terminate the relationship. What a low down or desperate or sicked move by the grown up! He should be punished severely for exploiting a young mind and body and betrayed the trust vested in him as a teacher - a sacred vocation and calling to educating our young. He has damaged the reputation of the teaching profession. A crime that must be punished as trust once lost is very very hard to regain, and with lots of extra efforts!;

3. while such cases do get reported, and they should be reported, it will be careless to say that most teachers behave in this manner. To the contrary, many sincere, passionate and caring professional teachers are helping to nurse our young so that they can become useful and productive citizen and upright human being. Yes there are pressure on the teachers to get the students to pass examinations and so forth. At the same time, the current Minister of Education and MOE recognise the need for a holistic educational system. Hence a holistic and balance performance management system for teachers and educators as well. Without the SYSTEMIC change and supports, most teachers will fall into 'trying to measure up to the system measurement'. If you measure the wrong things, your will get the wrong results!

May all teachers continue to pursue your dream of nurturing the next generation. Your work is sacred and honourable.