A teacher employed in a government school in Tamil Nadu was recently suspended by the School Education Department (SED) for allegedly posting content on social media criticising the department and its policies. An education activist, the teacher has been writing about the rights of teachers and students in both social and mainstream media. The SED alleges that she sought to incite other teachers by sharing content critical of the state administration. However, critics argue that her social media posts and articles were intended to enhance the quality of education.
In our democratic country, every citizen has the right to critique government policies and advocate for necessary reforms, as guaranteed by the Constitution of India. Unfortunately, governments and private educational institutions often attempt to silence critics, even when their criticism is highly constructive. Whenever governments and institutions try to suppress responsible and reformist voices, some right-thinking people take sides with victims by expressing their protest against the administrations’ intimidating tactics.
This incident of suspending the teacher has prompted questions regarding the right to criticise the government and advocate for the rights of teachers and students. Many activists and some political leaders have condemned the disciplinary action and demanded the revocation of her suspension. Interestingly, the teaching community, with the exception of some teachers, has largely remained silent on this and other similar issues. Their diplomatic, but deafening, silence raises several questions: Is it not the teachers’ professional responsibility to critically evaluate governmental educational policies or the existing system and express their views through writing or speech? Is it not their social and moral responsibility to speak out against injustices inflicted upon their colleagues or any segment of society?
Not outspoken
It is exceedingly rare for teachers and academics in India to criticise government policies or raise their voices against injustices affecting common people. Seldom do we encounter academics sharing their views on or writing about issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or farmers’ protests. Many academics believe that their mission is only to teach the subjects they specialise in and refrain from discussing national issues.
Recently, I met an academic who was highly critical of certain issues such as One Nation – One Election and the National Education Policy. As he was quite knowledgeable and his views on the issues were remarkable, I asked why he didn’t write about these issues. He responded, “Do you want me to lose my job? Do you know what will happen to me if I comment critically on such matters?” Disturbing questions, indeed! Does our democracy not allow us to be truly democratic? Our leaders and policymakers extol the virtues of ‘critical thinking’ and emphasise the importance of promoting critical thinking among students. Unfortunately, teachers are not afforded the opportunity to apply critical thinking in real-life situations.
If teachers are not allowed to express their critical views on matters that matter to the nation, how can they teach critical thinking? In our modern society that faces numerous complex challenges, teachers are expected to be knowledgeable citizens and express their views fearlessly. They should play a key role in the intellectual development of students, creating opportunities for students to reflect on various issues, raise questions, look at things critically, construct knowledge, and disseminate it.
Although all teachers are expected to be proficient critical thinkers and express their views on issues that impact the nation, many lack the ability to analyse things critically. Teachers who are accustomed to blindly following orders from authorities often lack the capacity for creative and critical thinking. Consequently, they may not take the necessary steps to foster critical thinking in their students.
Teachers who possess the gift of critical thinking and have analytical skills have the potential to provide constructive criticism. Only such teachers can instil critical thinking in students and catalyse change in the system. Governments and institutions should recognize such teachers as valuable resources and utilise their intellectual contributions to reform the system.
In How We Think, written in 1909, John Dewey highlights the importance of ‘thought training’ and shares his views on the role of educators in training students to think well. He advocates for curiosity, open-mindedness, and professional responsibility. Educators who possess these qualities can be effective thought trainers, equipped with analytical minds, innovative ideas, and intellectual courage to engage with society democratically. The question remains: will authorities encourage such teachers to spread their wings and fly freely?
Views expressed are personal
The writer is an ELT resource person and education columnist. rayanal@yahoo.co.uk
