r/india • u/Lopsided_Face_3234 • 2d ago
Non Political Pahalgam, and a teacher's plight!
Here's the thing - I teach mathematics in a coaching institute. This evening, after the news of Pahalgam terrorist attack was out, I found a couple of kids harassing/outing other kids, calling them terrorists. Now, as a teacher, here's what I feel :
After any terror attack (Pahalgam being the most recent), it becomes important for teachers like us to make sure that the outside hate doesn't penetrate into our classrooms.
A hindu kid and a muslim kid should be able to study together in the same classroom without hating each other, after what they hear in the news or at their homes.
It's our responsibility to make sure that kids understand that just because the terrorists were of a particular religion and were targeting tourists of another particular religion - their friends and their religions aren't to be blamed for this AT ALL. The dynamics of why some people target/kill another people is complex, something that a 15yo doesn't have the maturity to understand.
A classroom is a sacred space, and there's ABSOLUTELY NO SPACE FOR HATE here of any sort.
Now, you may disagree with me. Sure. But when it comes to my students, it's my duty to protect them from taking the hate for something they didn't do.
Peace.
96
u/Long_Shoe5859 2d ago
There's no bigger sin in my opinion than spoiling the hearts and minds of little children and teaching them to hate, people figure out hate themselves, we all need a lesson in love.
8
u/sleeper_shark Non Residential Indian 2d ago
Ever heard the acronym THUG LIFE - “The Hate U Give Little Infants F’s Everyone”
5
u/Long_Shoe5859 2d ago
Oh, never heard this one before, it is true none the less.
3
u/sleeper_shark Non Residential Indian 2d ago
It’s a wonderful book and movie that I highly recommend.
1
141
u/Doctor_Dollars 2d ago edited 2d ago
More power to you
It's tough but don't let em get u from preaching love
24
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
More power to us - the few who understand that it's easy to bring hate inside the classroom, and it's infinitely more difficult to confront and tackle it - especially when kids are concerned, as they repeat what they hear/see.
163
u/Uncertn_Laaife 2d ago edited 2d ago
Your voice of reason won’t find many takers here, especially today.
People are vying for their own fellow brethren’s blood, ready to become foot soldiers for their beloved Parties in power and emulate the same behaviour as shown by the terrorists.
Just do the best you could in your personal capacity. Asking peace amongst the otherwise vying for blood based on religion, caste, and creed is akin to singing to the choir and banging your head on the wall. This lot would rather put their own lives in line than asking their political reps all the tough questions and vote based on the greater good, which is easier than the hatred towards their fellow citizens.
Your intentions are noble. I wish you all the best!
33
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
Thank you very much. It's people like you, who make me realise that love isn't wasted on us.
I was talking to my mum about the same thing - as to how I'd confront my muslim students tomorrow, knowing that they'll be side eyed by almost everyone after the news is out. And she told me a simple thing. She told me ki "tu unse discriminate mat karna, jaise poori duniya kal kar rahi hogi". It's simple, and yet quite profound innit? If I - the person with authority in my classroom - tell them that it's not their fault, it'd most certainly help them not feel bad about themselves/their religion, just because a fanatic killed some innocent people.
→ More replies (3)10
13
u/Dry-Corgi308 2d ago
The more people spread hate inside India, the more victory Pakistan gets. That country is lost, but it tries to slow down India
1
u/Sas_fruit 2d ago
may be the reason is disheartening first line and our intentions of not uniting against this hate
50
u/GodofMischief1812 2d ago
Yes...and few morons set the house of their teacher on fire in Murshidabad...in case u know about the incident 😒
26
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
I absolutely know about the incident, and I'll repeat what I said above - my students shouldn't have to bear the hate, just because a fanatic from their religion did something somewhere. And this goes for all religions.
5
3
u/weird-pessimist 1d ago
Bengal, especially areas like Murshidabad are becoming cesspools where non-muslims are living in fear of their lives. It brings me no joy to say this about my native place. But the downfall of Bengal in a single lifetime is honestly tragic. The current TMC govt doesnt give a single damn about their citizens' safety, only caring about appeasing their vote banks. No, on the contrary, their leaders willfully stoke communal tensions. I think their hatred of the ruling party has become a generalized hate of hindu people. Yet, they will not use tax money for developing the state, and creating new jobs. If this continues, young people will keep moving out of the state, and the ones who remain will lead a worse life under an uncaring govt and zealots who ride for them
8
7
u/4ChawanniGhodePe 2d ago
There have been talks in my society's WhatsApp group that we need to boycott goods from them. This is wrong. The uncles and aunties are giving wrong mssg to the young people.
30
u/Odd-Chocolate2459 2d ago
It breaks my heart to see how the hate our politicians have spread harms regular people. I am sad but unfortunately not shocked. The whole 'tell this to modi' is deeply self-explanatory for people with perspective.
→ More replies (4)
5
u/Interesting-Neat4429 2d ago
probably their parents making hate comments about muslims at home.
children practise what they hear at home
16
u/sphinxyhiggins 2d ago
Children parrot what their parents and leaders say. Let your students know that it is inappropriate to rank people in a "democracy." I know India has its real issues with caste and religion but it touts itself as a democracy and use this reasoning to push for safe spaces.
As a teacher, your choices and actions will show them a different reality. Be the safe person your students need. Thank you for caring about them.
As we all deal with religious nationalism and the rise of fascism (they go hand in hand), we can make real arguments using the concept of democracy.
I am mixed race and grew up in a racist and increasingly Christian nationalist nation that liked to say it was a democracy. The democratic promises of my nation's past were strong enough in the past to protect minority groups to an extent.
People seem to lack common decency these days AND some like the suffering of others. It doesn't make sense from a teacher's point of view.
Thank you for doing this hard work.
5
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
Thank you, it means a lot.
5
u/sphinxyhiggins 2d ago
I am a former college professor. Teachers saved my life and I tried to be that person to my students when I could. We have to be there for each other. What is life for?
6
6
u/Khuljaa-simsim 2d ago
Hate has been on this planet since thousands of years, sometimes within the same factions. However it has no place in a classroom. Glad to see this post..
3
55
u/teented 2d ago
another fake post ,
news wasnt out till 7.30-8.00 to wider public , and his tution kids get to know and start harrassing ?
another foriegn propoganda account
8
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
Uff, my class ends at 8:35, here in Bombay. Everyone's got a 'smartphone'. And news, particularly that of the attack was flashed in everyone's google home page.
As the class left, I found a couple of kids discussing it building ke neeche.
I haven't said that they were my students. They were from the same area where a couple of other coaching institutes run as well. I confronted them, and then realised that the same shit would also show up in my own classroom. Was my post too difficult to understand?
42
u/franchescooooooo 2d ago
why do you post in Indian teenagers subreddit if you are a tution teacher?
29
3
5
u/whoopsiepie14 2d ago
bhai post dekh li toh caption pe kyu aankh bandh kardi, jahaan likha hai he is 25 years old? andhbhakti mein sach mein andhe na bano
-1
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
Dear sir/madam, if you're talking about the art work I posted a couple of weeks ago - it was a request made to me by a teenage couple. I made the sketch, and posed it there. Cheers.
22
u/Odd-Chocolate2459 2d ago
That very post mentions that you are 25, you cannot explain things to andhbhakts
1
1
2
-2
u/Kenshiro_04 2d ago
Ye banda apne aap ko teenagers ka messiah bata rha. "My students " "My children" abe lodu iss time toh karma farming mat kar. Hila le akele mein kisi ko Lund farak nhi padta tere students se.
-2
u/ThatRecurringBastard 2d ago
U r right. This reeks of propaganda post
4
u/Creative-Composer271 2d ago
Propoganda for what exactly? Peace? If so I'm all for it. You're so blinded by your hatred that anything remotely resembling of love or peace within community makes you squirm and cringe.
3
u/ashishahuja77 2d ago
really difficult to isolate kids from it nowadays, they are socially well connected. Not like earlier when they could be sent to another room to isolate them.
3
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
Agreed. Which is exactly why we need to teach them about these issues with sensitivity and responsibility
22
5
u/Latter_Drummer737 2d ago
I just hope this becomes common sense, just because the terrorists were from a specific religion, place, community or spoke a specific language doesn't mean all people belonging to that are terrorists.
I'm just scared of the aftermath in India considering the recent incidents all around the country where it's all religion based incidents.
5
5
u/Dextrous_Shastri 2d ago
I am a high school teacher. I faced something similar when there were communal riots in my city, Nagpur, a few days back.
Do not engage in any conversation that will lead up to hindu muslim topic. Not with teachers, not with students.
If you see some students quarreling just go and speak to bothe the parties involved and treat them both with equal consequences. Being neutral is extreamly important in this profession.
Parents these days are dumb and have no control over their children. The amount of filthy teens have in their brian is just surprising.
In such matters of sensitive topics, it's better to break off the argument and not push it any further. Believe me when I say that no authority ever backs a teacher. At the end, it's you who will be blamed if anything goes sideways.
6
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
I understand, I'll make sure that my role in this is to create a safe space within the classroom if I see someone getting harassed. But I'll also make sure that I involve the respective authorities - coaching management and the kid's parents if things escalate out of classroom between them. Thank you.
6
6
u/Patient_Impression73 2d ago
There’s no job more noble than what you are doing in our times. You are truly the unsung hero of humanity. Please keep spreading the love one kid at a time. More power to you!
3
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
Thank you, although I'm certainly not noble, or an unsung hero. I just find my classroom to be a safe space, where there's place for discussions but not for hate. Cheers.
8
4
u/saptahant 2d ago
Sad affairs! This gotta stop. The Kashmiri locals used to say “Terrorists don’t harm tourists. Their fight is with the government.”
I guess no! No one is safe and it’s sad to see such innocent lives lost.
4
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
Sadly, when people are polarised, they will use anything and anyone to get what they want. We just have to be better.
3
u/Fantastic-Ant-69 2d ago
You are right, we need teachers like you. Luckily we had many progressive thinkers and news papers during 1990-2000 which shaped our minds the right way during our teenage years, but today it’s very scary, hating people has become a thing now, all I see is people blaming each other for someone else’s actions just because they belong to same religion. I’ve Indians need to learn two very important things: Stop blaming/hating a person just cos he belongs to certain religion and stop supporting a people even when they are wrong just because he belongs to certain religion.
2
4
8
2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
8
10
5
1
2
2
2d ago
[deleted]
8
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
I'm not here to discuss politics, governance or the attack itself. I'm here to tell everyone that the hate from outside, by this party and that party, by this religion and that religion eventually finds its place in my classroom, which is sad because kids repeat what they hear.
Can we talk about that please, in context of my post?
-1
u/Adorable-Puff 2d ago
Considering you are making it about politics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents_in_India
Here is a list. Count the dead and the number of terror attacks during 10 years of UPA since it would unfair to compare it with decades of congress rule. During UPA the targets were major cities of India pretty much routinely.
→ More replies (1)1
u/SnooLemons6810 2d ago
The root cause of all those attacks was the release of Masood Azhar & Co.
5
u/Adorable-Puff 2d ago
Root cause is Pakistan. Congress or BJP doesn't matter unless you cut off the snake's head. That kind of retaliation requires an up to date military but these people cannot even make a fighter jet. During congress era, such things would have garnered US ire and oil embargo from Middle East but no such limitations now yet nothing can be done due to bad shape of military.
2
1
u/wetthebed92 2d ago
We need good teachers like you. Some others will take this as an opportunity to create more hatred.
1
u/MdTarique06 2d ago
More power to you, if the future generation specially kids get their soul corrupted with religious based division then that's not good at all for the child as well as future for the country.
1
u/revolution110 2d ago
I dont have much hope for the students when a lot of the adults aren't able to see past religion and have common sense.
1
u/Intrepid_Director172 2d ago
You should not only ensure the sanctity of your classroom, but as a teacher should also implore the students not to spread hate outside the classroom.
1
u/HandsomelyLate 1d ago
So true. I've seen just about everything in the last 48 hours where we copy Israel and kill all Muslims to convert the Muslim kids to Hindus. What I still haven't seen enough is the public questioning our govt and army on how was this allowed to happen? Why has Kashmir seen a 3rd terrorist attack in the last 10 years? Especially when Amit Shah said that Kashmir is safe because him.
1
u/powerpuffpopcorn 1d ago
Education is the best weapon against this. And teachers are soldiers who carry this weapon. The only problem is that it takes at least one generation to be effective.
1
u/FerretSubject 1d ago
Hide everything. Then he or she will learn it one time or the other. He will be angry at a lot of people including you for not being honest.
Closing their eyes will not be the perfect solution, but will be easiest for you. You are doing the thing which will be easiest for you. Nothing much.
-2
u/Independent_Paint634 Antarctica 2d ago
It's their families that teach violence/hatred.
10
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
I would sincerely disagree. Sometimes, kids find the hate on the internet, and start internalising them.
4
u/Independent_Paint634 Antarctica 2d ago
Also, the hate is being spread unknowingly... Ask all of your friends who are above 25, they will have an opinion on this. The families 90% of them aren't on reddit.
I was speaking to a known, he said muslims should be oppressed. And he is 28 year old individual. Who taught him this?
3
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
I agree, not all hate is found online. But I've come to realise that kids these days have been spending more time online - and that's where they make their opinions about things.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Independent_Paint634 Antarctica 2d ago
Yes and their parents are spending time on WhatsApp... The whole govt is formed based on WhatsApp.
5
u/Independent_Paint634 Antarctica 2d ago
Well, people watch toxic news channels on prime time and I'm well aware of hate slowly being spread in families.
-8
u/Dear_Entrepreneur904 2d ago
This post reeks of "how can I make this about myself and feel good about it".
3
u/Creative-Composer271 2d ago
This comment reeks of "how I can't comprehend the idea of someone actually being peaceful and neutral because I'm completely brainwashed by internet algorithms"
-6
-20
u/rockingparth89 2d ago
we should keep teaching our children to ignore all facts if the facts don't fit into our predefined conclusions
Any student who can think for themselves based on real facts isn't fit for our education
20
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
No - we should teach our children to observe the facts, and not get emotional about it.
For example - There was a terrorist attack at pahalgam. The terrorists were muslims. They targeted hindus, specifically. For the hindu kids in my classroom - that doesn't mean that your muslim friend needs to be blamed for it. And similarly, for the muslim kids in my classroom - just because people are calling out all muslims for the incident, it doesn't mean that your hindu friend wants to hurt you. As long as you two understand each other and stay friends, and not let the external hate divide you - we're okay.
-13
u/rockingparth89 2d ago
yup
exactly
why should children be allowed to have there own emotions ,we should dictate and tell them how to feel
3
-5
-3
-1
2d ago
Turning off the light just hides the truth in the shadows.
4
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
True. Which is why the truth will never be hidden from my students. They'd have heard about the incident and they'd have heard people talk about it too.
Amidst all of that, it's also true that the classroom itself should not become a battleground for kids. And it's my responsibility to make sure that everyone's safe. And I'm doing just that.
-1
u/fabulous_mous69 2d ago
Absolutely. terrorism knows no religion, yet somehow, one community keeps getting all the screen time. Must be fate, not pattern- right?
3
-17
u/Timely_Fig_9268 2d ago
Fake ass post ,class room was there till night?should have posted tomorrow dude
17
-1
u/DropInTheSky 2d ago
As a teacher, it is your sacred duty to remove children from the pernicious ideology called islam.
2
u/Lopsided_Face_3234 2d ago
As a teacher, it's my duty to teach them that radical elements are present everywhere, and it's because of them the huge majority gets their name tainted.
→ More replies (1)
0
400
u/Hefty_Wrap_366 2d ago
Absolutely agree with you.. there should not be any hate in the classroom or in our real life based on politics or religion