Parents must show respect for rules: Heng
SINGAPORE - The woman who went to the police after her 12-year-old
son's S$60 haircut was ruined before his PSLE oral exam last month
received a stern response from Education Minister Heng Swee Keat
yesterday.
The "simple fact" was that the boy had been reminded "over and over
again" to trim his hair, said Mr Heng. When that failed, the school
sent a letter to the parent.
"The mother's response was that her son was dyslexic and,
therefore, forgetful. Dyslexic people are not forgetful. As one
writer puts it in a media commentary, by raising such a hullabaloo,
'the mother ... did herself and her son no favours'," he
said.
Citing that case, as well as a man who used a string of expletives
about the teachers in his son's school, Mr Heng said the Ministry
of Education (MOE) "must take a firm stand against unreasonable
demands". He urged parents to be gracious to others and show
respect for rules, or the younger generation will not follow
suit.
"Soon, discipline will be eroded, the tone in our schools will
deteriorate, and the tone in our society too," said Mr Heng, who
added that good potential candidates may be turned away from being
teachers.
Despite such incidents, Mr Heng noted that the majority of parents
today are "supportive partners", and more help will be given to
assist them in educating their children.
He launched the Parents in Education website yesterday, which
contains information such as parenting tips, educational news and
learning resources.
Responding to Mr Heng's comments, Madam Serene Ong - the mother
involved in the hair-cut incident - told TODAY that she went to the
police to file a "personal record" only after calling the MOE and
on being told that it would be fine to go to the
police.
Mdm Ong said: "There is no absolute right or wrong in this matter
but as a parent, there should be a courtesy call from the teacher
first before cutting my son's hair. We would like to work with the
teachers but it also takes two hands to clap." NG JING
YNG
Source: Linkie
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Can the mother seriously just shut up already?!?!?
By blowing up this matter in the first place, she has damaged
her son far more than the teacher ever did. 
I am willing to bet that (1) she never paid $60 for her son's
haircut, (2) her son is not dyslexic, and (3) MOE did not actually
advise her to go to the police.
