Speak Up! - View Question #445

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Question: If a teacher yells at you for something you didn't do, do you have the right to yell back?

Answer: If a teacher yells at you, whether you did something that deserves yelling at or not, you are not breaking any laws if you yell back. However, you might be breaking some very important rules:

1) the social rules for your actions and

2) the school's conduct rules.

All societies have social rules. In our country we eat with forks and spoons, which is a social rule. People who do not follow social rules are frowned upon and likely to lose standing (not being promoted for jobs or considered for class president) because of their unwillingness to follow social rules.

In addition, schools, companies and organizations often have written conduct rules that are designed to promote good relationships and preserve order. Most school and company handbooks list rules that prohibit raising your voice or 'talking back' to your teacher or a person in authority. If you yell back at a teacher, you're likely to be violating the school's rule against yelling at teachers. This could result in disciplinary action against you - a written warning, detention or worse.

So you should think hard before you yell back to a teacher or adult in authority. Yelling is often a sign of being out of control. If you yell back, you would be acting similarly out of control. Even if you weren't facing discipline for yelling back, you would still be looked at better for handling your anger by ignoring someone yelling at you.


Comments
16 thru 19 of 19 comments
On 04/24/03
sf from AZ said:
I dont think it s far when teachers yell at u but u cant yell at them i think thats not far
On 06/27/02
Kate from MI said:
I think it is totally unfair that teachers can yell at students, but students can't yell at teachers. The teacher should think of a better way of expressing their anger with the student. And a student should think of a better way of expressing their anger with the teacher. I know my comment will make absoulutely no difference in this world because I'm just 12-years-old and no one cares what a 12-year-old has to say. Even if they did care they would never to anything about it because a kid can't change the law, no matter how stupid the law is. I guess America isn't as free as they say is!
On 02/12/02
Christine Blidar from AZ said:
I think that if teachers should be allowed to yell at you, then you should be allowed to yell back. It's only fair. They cannot tell you what your opinion is or if your own opinion is wrong. NO ONE'S OPINION IS WRONG. We all believe different things and we should be able to state those and support those.
On 12/23/01
Jill from Othe said:
Regardless of authority, status, or rank, one must admit that teachers are responsible for their actions, as is a student. Nevertheless, teachers frequently make mistakes and it is only fair that if a student truly feels that they are right, than I would encourage all students to indicate to their teachers that they have made a mistake. Sometimes the best opportunity to improve a teachers teachings is to indicate to them on how they can improve. No being shall ever tolerate the abuse of a teachers if it is unjust. Stand up for what's yours !
16 thru 19 of 19 comments



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