The Field Marshal

Who's exactly the real 'offender' here? It has been sometime since I last read stories along the lines of students filming their cher putting them down in class. So I naturally read with interest when The Sunday Times carried the story - Teacher warned for having 'sexy legs' banter with JC girl. Afterall some of my best buddies are in the teaching profession. First, I have to categorically say that whatever the teacher, in Tampines JC, did was wrong. Even if the student has the longest legs in Singapore, he should still have kept his comments to himself. Afterall, he's her teacher, and one should never compromise oneself, especially when one is put in a position of power and trust. He should just keep his thoughts to himself. Frankly, I am not surprised that they are other teachers out there who are 'admiring' their students of opposite sex. That's hormones working overtime for you. My advice to this particular teacher is to approach the girl after she has completed her JC course. That would have removed any charges of any perceived favourtism or unethical behaviour. I don't see any wrong in that as long as the teacher concerned does not 'groom' the person he's interested in while she's still schooling. Anyway, such incidents are commonplace in university. I have known of students getting married to their lecturers. So, what's the difference? Bot are minor since most girls only turn 21 at year 3. The lecturers must have started wooing them much earlier. Get the point? Looking at this incident from a different perspective, I realised that the fella, who blew this into the open, ain't such an angel himself. This 2nd year science student apparently stumbled upon the girl's intranet chat, when the latter forgot to log out from. Instead of doing the right thing, which is to log off for the girl, he went on to read her messages. That's invasion of privacy! What was he hoping to glean from reading her messages? Was he trying to fish for info on the girl himself? This very act itself is breaking the Computer Misuse Act as the person has unauthorised access to another person's online account. This kid should be punished. As if reading another person's private messages ain't enough. He proceeded to forward them to his classmates. This guy is nothing but a person who delights in gossip, and enjoys getting into trouble. I seriously believe that exposing the teacher wasn't on his mind, this kid ain't that noble. A responsible person would have either raised this to another teacher or the principal. Only a person of low IQ or of a mean spirit would circulate the messages the way it did. The only good thing that came out of this was the fact that the teacher has been warned and counselled. All thanks to this chap, the entire episode has affected the girl's social and academic life. So tell me, who's the real offender here?