I’ve just read an article about a student in South Carolina, US, who tried to hang himself after suffering abuse at the hands of his teacher simply for being gay. The article describes how the young man was verbally bullied in class in front of all of his classmates and friends for an extended period of time. The teacher, identified as Alan Ingram, identified the student as gay, called him names such as ‘gay boy’ and ‘Mrs Pete’.
It is also reported that Ingram told the students classmates that he was in a relationship with another male classmate and that they were ’boyfriend and girlfriend’. H also reportedly encouraged the rest of the class to join in the verbal abuse and bullying.
The bullying went on for such a long period of time and had such harsh consequences that the student tried to kill himself. He has since been removed from school and is being home schooled.
It’s a terrible thing when anyone in a position of power abuses that power in order to cause harm to others, especially when those people are being punished simply for being who they are. It makes it all the worse though when that person is supposed to be in a position to help other.
Teachers are trusted with the safety and wellbeing of children. It’s there job to shape the hearts and minds of the next generation, to prepare them for the world. But when a teacher is trying to force such horrific practices on their students, I can’t help but feel sick at the though,
Schools are supposed to teach us the facts not opinions. Whether we like it or not teachers will have profound effects on the people our children will grow up to become. They can’t be allowed to get away with this kind of behaviour. This man, and any other teacher that does the same, should be held fully accountable for their actions and immediately be banned from teaching children ever again.
Amy.
xx
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