I am a teacher with several years of experience and having been in the profession for several years and growing up young children for several years, I always prided myself in knowing the nature of any student by a single look at him.
However, one experience in my life not only changed this notion that I had about myself but also had a lifelong impact in the life of one of my students, and I have been bearing the guilt most painfully.
It was the final examination that Grade 9 was writing in order to be promoted to Grade 10. The last exam was History and everyone was intently doing their test.
Suddenly I heard some scuffling of papers and mourners at one corner of the classroom and when I turned to see what’s happening, I found some papers change hands. When I went near them to check what the matter is and to my shock, found a few torn pages of a book peeping from under the examination copy of one of my most diligent students! I was shocked and while one part of me told me that this boy certainly could not have resorted to such a wrong action, another part insisted that I be neutral, just and fair and follow the rules to punish him.
I suspended him from the exam and that made him lose a year. But later on I got to know that those torn pages from the History text were inserted under his examination sheet stealthily by a group of boys in the class who were jealous of this bright student.
There was no way I could undo my mistake. Because now, the student has already turned into a demotivated, rowdy student who has lost all respect of truth and sincerity. I have never been able to muster courage to personally apologise to this boy, I take this opportunity to do so in this forum. If you are reading this, dear son, forgive me for not trusting my inner voice that told me you are a good human being. Thank you BTW for giving me a chance to say ‘Sorry’.