Teacher and Student Rights

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Teacher and Student rights have been evolving ever since the 60’s and 70’s. Prior to this, teachers substituted as the students’ parents while they at school, “en loco parentis”. Now, teachers have been restricted from laying a single hand on students or even saying anything that may offend them. In addition to strict regulations for teachers, they also implemented more limitations on students. Although I don’t think that teachers or students should be allowed to say and do whatever they please, there are some laws that need to be changed. The success of the students have a lot to do with the environment of the classroom and allowing the students and teachers to have freedom of speech, a healthy relationship, and getting rid of the zero tolerance rule will create an environment that is best for student learning and prosper. Freedom of speech is why we have intelligent and intellectual conversations. This is how we come up with great ideas and learn about new things. Although the teacher’s views clash with a student’s belief, there is no reason he or she should not be able to express them. This would create an environment that would allow students to express their individuality. For example, in the Tinker case students were suspended for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. How do you suspend someone for promoting world peace? Unless these students are going around campus and putting flyers and causing a riot then their is no need to suspend them. People disagree all the time. Especially in academic settings, do we take their freedom of speech? No, they agree in what they believe and if they decide to change their views they do and if not they move on with their lives. There is no need for a ... ... middle of paper ... ...sues he was there to help; which me made more app to learn and listen to what he had to say. He also had a great relationship with my parents. These laws completely limits the teacher’s teaching capabilities and the student’s learning environment; which why some changes need to be made. The right to voice our opinion should not be limited because it is different from someone elses belief. Although we should voice them, we should do so in a respectful manner. In addition, outside teacher-students educational relationship is also something that imperative for positive classroom environment. With all these laws, I would find it very difficult to teach to my fullest extent; especially with the zero tolerance rule. Learning is something that goes beyond the textbook. It’s what the students see and what they experience and having such strict laws really limits them.

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