OPINION> Commentary
Gifts not the best tribute
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-09-11 07:49

It is time to free the campus from the obsession with expensive gifts, says an article in Dazhong Daily. The following is an excerpt:

When the annual Teachers' Day approaches, parents would rack their brains thinking about what kind of gifts they should give to teachers of their children in primary and secondary schools.

In recent years, it has not been unusual for parents to invite teachers to dinners and give them various gifts. Gifts are becoming more diversified and more expensive than before - from paper cards and flowers earlier to wines, cigarettes, cosmetics and luxury mobile phones.

According to Chinese traditional culture it is a virtue to give gifts to teachers to show gratitude for their hard work. But currently, few parents send gifts with the aim of paying respect to teachers. The purpose for most parents now is to bribe teachers so that they give more care and opportunities to their children. Some parents send gifts just to follow suit; for they fear if they do otherwise, teachers might lose interest in caring for their kids.

Sometimes, it is hard for teachers to turn down gifts from warm-hearted parents. But some teachers, influenced by the vicious trend, take the gifts from parents as granted.

Teachers are role models for students and every aspect of their behavior may affect their students. The practice of accepting gifts among teachers would add to financial burdens of the students' families and still worse, pollute adolescent souls.

Not all teachers favor receiving gifts. Many believe that even if there were no gifts, they would still do their best to teach students. They view diligence in studies and the healthy growth of their students as the best gifts to themselves.

(China Daily 09/11/2008 page8)