Classroom Teasing

* I applaud Christine Baron’s Nov. 3 article on teachers taking responsibility for children’s behavior toward others. Unfortunately, she does not go far enough. A large part of the teasing and harassment that goes on during and after class originates with the teacher.

All too often I have encountered teachers who seem to believe that making fun of or “teasing” a child about anything from looking different to not having the correct answer is acceptable--even desirable, if it teaches the child the lesson.

I would hope that the many teachers who think that it is amusing to have fun at their students’ expense would recognize the damage that they are doing, both to children’s self-esteem and in teaching other children that it is acceptable to ridicule others for their differences and shortcomings.

ELISABETH STEADMAN

Riverside