In Russia, a law is being prepared against the persecution of teachers: what will be the special status of a teacher

The State Duma set out to protect teachers from harassment and attacks on honor and dignity, where a draft amendment to the federal law “On Education” was submitted. The essence of the project is to take measures to protect the privacy of “teaching workers”, to give them a “special, important status.” It even sounded “protect against bullying” of teachers in schools.

There is a time and a place for such changes in the school. When, if not in the Year of the teacher and mentor in the Russian Federation. Where, if not in the temple of knowledge, the news from which is more like a crime chronicle. Insults, fights and showdowns in schools no longer surprise anyone. Judging by the news, teachers also attack students, but aggression against teachers often does not even reach social networks. Teachers do not want to wash dirty linen in public, in addition, they realize the futility of complaints against children and parents.

“The current legal situation does not allow for a child under 16 years of age to be held accountable,” commented lawyer Stanislav Popov. – In the case of especially serious crimes – from the age of 14. Until then, the child is incorrigible. Very often, the only thing the school can do is to conduct interviews and contact the PDN. And insults or, for example, leaking some photos of a teacher on a social network, stalking (obsessive harassment – auth.) Are not punishable at all. The statistics of crimes are depressing – he hit a teacher with a chair, pushed, beat, stabbed a teacher… Harassment, that is, the methodical humiliation of a teacher by a group of students, is also not uncommon. And also inclusion “delivers”, which is so boldly promoted in our schools. At the same time, the examination of the psychomedical status of the child for parents is a voluntary matter. Many people shirk, offering to sort out the problems of the school… I got acquainted with the bill, it is not enough. For the effective protection of the rights of teachers in schools, institutions of secondary vocational education (secondary special education – author), and in universities, too, changes in the Federal Law “On Education” are not enough. We need a package of amendments to the criminal, civil and administrative codes. The age and measure of responsibility for adolescents must be changed. Partial criminal liability to enter from 12 years. To expand and “rejuvenate” the list of public works.

The authors of the project propose to add to the law “On Education” a clause on the protection of the honor and dignity of a teacher. But the civil code operates with such concepts. The subject of the new socio-professional status of teachers is also unclear. The author cites VTsIOM data for 2022, saying that a “low level of prestige of the teaching profession in Russian society” was recorded: 3.19 points out of 5 possible. However, only deputies and security officials have a special legal status in the Russian Federation. A “social-temporary” status extends to people in more peaceful specialties: early retirement, benefits in transport, milk for harmfulness … It is unlikely that such indulgences will somehow help the teaching community to raise its prestige or rein in inadequate parents, bring arrogant students to reason.

One thing is clear to everyone: in many schools the situation has reached a boiling point. Teachers groan from the workload of 40 hours a week and more, which they have to take for any decent salary, “hang themselves” from the shaft of bureaucratic work and pressure from the administration. Students and parents are tired of the number of control and “homework”. Experienced teachers “burn out”, young ones, having worked out their minimum, are thrown out of school. The situation is hotly discussed in the teachers’ rooms, and things are still there.

– The problem lies mainly in the lack of the required number of social educators, – says a member of the National Association “Experts in Education” Alexandra Zhigunova. – For example, in an ordinary Russian school, only one social teacher works for 900 students. And, in addition to working with students, he is engaged in reporting, attracting children to participate in various city events and promotions, etc. This is a huge amount of work. Teachers work hard, with an average of 15 minutes allocated for each student. Therefore, only the most difficult cases are singled out from the total number of children, and minor problems are left for independent solution. Now a person has appeared in education who deals with the personal development of students – a tutor. But so far there are not enough tutors in the school, and often they are not capable of providing quality support to students due to the insufficient level of training.

In teachers’ publics, they also actively discuss their “living-beating”. In addition to the obvious – to reduce the load, increase wages, there are proposals to look at other countries. And it is easy to see that most of the guarantees for teachers there are economic. There is, for example, the practice of housing allowances – teachers are given a certain amount to index rent or utility bills. It is significant, about 1000 euros. Approximately the same surcharge is received for the classroom guidance. The normal workload of teachers there is 25 hours a week. In general, the wealth of a teacher strongly depends on the category, translated into our realities. With an increase in the category, wages immediately increase by 30-35%. Even in Europe there are laws on “special educational zones”. Teaching in schools with a disadvantaged social environment (in emigrant areas, for example) is paid with a surcharge. In France, Germany, Great Britain, being a teacher is profitable and honorable, but it is not easy to acquire this status, serious preparation and numerous exams are needed. And in Spain, for example, a teacher is not such a status profession. But even here, as in poorer countries, teachers have such guarantees as regional bonuses, free housing at a school in the countryside, preferential travel, food coupons, pension benefits, and a one-time pension benefit.

In China, where teachers were revered as temple priests under Confucius, they continue to be respected to this day. The top of the pyramid is a university teacher, but school teachers also enjoy the full range of social benefits and guarantees. But the most interesting thing is the status of a teacher in Japan. With relatively modest earnings, teachers enjoy the boundless respect of society. Even the hieroglyph for teacher is translated as “senior”. Teachers have free transport in public transport, preferential prices in stores, because the owners consider it a special honor for a teacher to visit a store. A recent reform introduced a new position in schools as an assistant, that is, a teacher’s secretary. There are also problems, for example, the passion for overtime and the neglect of vacations, as everywhere in Japan. Most of the teachers in this country are men.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 28986 dated March 10, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Guaranteed teacher