Malaysian teacher transferred for racial slur

Malaysian teacher transferred for racial slur
Malaysia Sun
Friday 8th August, 2008
(IANS)

A Malaysian school teacher who admitted to using racial slur against ethnic Indian Malaysian students has been transferred despite offering an apology, the media reported Friday.

Selangor State education department director Ashah Samah said Thursday that other schools may have reservations about accepting 'a problematic teacher'.

The 35-year-old woman teacher, against whom two ethnic Indian Malaysian students complained, has not been named, The Star newspaper said Friday. The official said the teacher would, on transfer, undergo counselling.

Samah added that she would personally counsel the teacher as she felt that her actions were against the principles and duties of a teacher.

'This should not be a case of taking revenge but to reform and to make her understand such racial sentiments were not acceptable,' the official said.

'If she repeats it, then more severe action will be taken against her. We will watch her closely and may even place another teacher to sit in the class with her.'

The hurt students' parents and the Indian community of Banting in Selangor state are not satisfied with the teacher's apology.

The Coalition of Indian Non-Governmental Organisations secretary George Gunaraj said that transferring the teacher was not the solution.

'Moving her elsewhere is even worse as she can start the verbal abuse all over again in a different environment. She needs to undergo counselling to control her emotions. If she is unable to control her emotions, how can she teach?' he asked.

Another solution would be to place her on a desk job.

Media reports Friday carried some details of what happened. In an incident last month, the teacher allegedly entered a Form Five Class and called the students using a derogatory word. She also accused them of being gangsters and thieves.

She was also alleged to have ordered the boys to do push-ups. When some of them could not do so, she allegedly stomped on their backs.

The second incident happened five days later in a Form Four class where she taught history. She allegedly told the students that she 'wanted to test their level of patience' and began abusing them. She even wrote the words on the blackboard.

Two students lodged police reports against the teacher. On Monday, about 500 parents and members of the public gathered to protest in front of the school.

Malaysians of Indian origin, who migrated to Malaysia during the British era, form eight percent of the country's 28 million population.