Hostility in classrooms affects teachers in the country

Teachers in the Dominican Republic are facing a growing wave of hostility that is increasingly affecting their personal safety and the daily practice of teaching. Educators report receiving aggressive messages filled with insults and threats from students, alongside intimidating language used both inside and outside school grounds. What were once considered isolated incidents now generate genuine fear among those who must attend classrooms daily.

The aggressions extend beyond verbal abuse. Teachers have reported finding nails and sharp objects placed near their vehicles, intended to puncture tires after the school day ends. This, coupled with a perceived scarce or nonexistent presence of school police in some areas, heightens the sense of vulnerability among educators who fear potential escalation to more serious violence.

Adding to the challenging environment is pressure from parents who react aggressively to their children receiving low grades. Teachers recount frequent complaints from parents who focus on criticizing the teacher for not assigning better marks, rather than addressing their child's academic performance. This situation transforms a profession once undertaken with satisfaction into one where educators must carefully consider how they address student behavior.

One teacher, who requested anonymity, shared an experience where a simple request for a student to follow a classroom rule led to a tense confrontation. During an exam, the teacher found a hidden cell phone in a 16-year-old student's pencil case. When the teacher attempted to confiscate it, the student reacted by submitting a blank exam and demanding the phone back, stating, "Give me my phone, because it's mine and it doesn't belong to you." This incident, despite a school rule prohibiting cell phone use during class, highlights the escalating defiance and the difficult position teachers find themselves in.

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Give me my phone, because it's mine and it doesn't belong to you.