I am currently in teachers' college, I love teaching, but I am afraid that the JTA is making it seem like I made a mistake. I do not see what they are doing for the teachers of this country. I am terribly upset about the current system in the schools. Teachers cannot keep bellowing at students; I am not saying teachers should beat children to a pulp, no, I do not like violence, but I do believe that sometimes disciplinary actions will result in corporal punishment. Born in the early '80s, I have seen this working in the schools - tell me somebody, do you honestly feel that children being children will always listen to what you as an adult have to say?

There are those students who will look you straight in the face and tell you that you cannot hit them and they will do as they please. Teachers are not superheroes, what kind of authority does the teacher has right now? No wonder the teachers are leaving this country so quickly, I will not stay in it long either if things are the same, and yes, as I said before, I do love teaching, but college cannot make me into a superhero.

This is slackness

Another thing is the fact that we have students and parents dictating to the Ministry of Education and everybody else, who should and should not become principal at various schools since recently - this is slackness! Our schools in just a little while will be a living hell, where children are the ones in charge.

- Simone Ormsby, sbarrettormsby@yahoo.com, Ocho Rios PO St. Ann, Via Go-Jamaica