In the age of social media sensationalism, where clickbait headlines rule over facts and nuanced discourse, an unfortunate and deeply problematic trend has taken root — the targeting of teachers. Whether in viral Facebook posts, WhatsApp forwards, or armchair commentaries by self-proclaimed “journalists,” teachers have become easy scapegoats for everything that goes wrong in the educational ecosystem. The sad truth is that society has found in teachers a soft target — someone easy to blame, criticize, and troll without understanding the depth, dedication and discipline that defines their role.
Teachers are not mere degree holders. While a degree may open doors, it is training, passion, and continual learning that shape a real educationist. Teachers undergo regular, rigorous professional development through institutions like DIETs (District Institutes of Education and Training), SCERTs (State Councils of Educational Research and Training), and other national programs. They are not static professionals — they evolve, adapt, and grow continuously to meet the changing needs of students and the system.
The role of a teacher is not confined to classrooms or textbooks. They are the architects of young minds, shaping generations with values, knowledge, and skills that go far beyond academic syllabi. They are counsellors, motivators, problem-solvers, administrators, and in many cases, community leaders. Despite this, we are witnessing a growing culture of undermining their efforts, often by people who have little understanding of pedagogy, curriculum design, or the socio-emotional dynamics of a classroom.
One of the most concerning trends is the rise of pseudo-journalism on platforms like Facebook, where unverified stories, misquoted incidents, and exaggerated narratives are used to paint teachers in a bad light. These social media “reporters” are often driven by the pursuit of likes, shares, and digital validation, with little regard for the truth or the dignity of the profession they target. Ironically, many of these individuals rely on teachers during their formative years — a fact conveniently forgotten when it comes to vilifying them.
What adds insult to injury is the double standard society exhibits. Whenever a sensitive, time-bound, or people-centric task is to be executed at the district or Union Territory level — be it a census, election duty, disaster relief, or literacy campaign — it is the teacher who is called upon. Why? Because teachers are reliable, competent, and trained in human interaction. They possess the emotional intelligence to handle pressure, the time management skills to meet deadlines, and the discipline to follow protocols — traits that are indispensable in administrative functioning.
Teachers are not only educators but also the go-to manpower for governments and civil administrations in times of need. From implementing educational surveys to managing examination centres, from acting as booth-level officers during elections to being nodal officers for crucial schemes — teachers carry out responsibilities that demand high levels of integrity and precision. No other profession is summoned so frequently outside its core function, and yet, receives so little credit for it.
The teaching profession is also perhaps one of the few that comes with continuous scrutiny — from the system, parents, media, and now, social media influencers. While accountability is essential, what we are seeing today is a culture of mockery and mistrust. A teacher’s absence becomes a viral post. A delayed syllabus becomes a blame game. A failed student becomes a headline against the teacher — with little investigation into the student’s background, learning difficulties, or systemic challenges.
It is time for society to realize that teachers are not magicians. They cannot perform miracles in isolation. They work within the framework of policies, resources, curriculum limitations, and infrastructural constraints. Expecting them to fix every problem in the system without support is both unrealistic and unfair.
Moreover, teaching is not a fallback career, as is often wrongly portrayed. It is a calling — one that demands patience, empathy, creativity, and resilience. Teachers deal with 30 to 50 different minds in a single classroom every day — each with unique abilities, challenges, and backgrounds. They manage to reach out to each one, often without adequate teaching aids, digital tools, or psychological support. If this isn’t a skill, what is?
We must ask ourselves — why is it so easy to malign teachers? Perhaps because they don’t retaliate. They don’t strike back with posts or counter-allegations. Their nature is to nurture, not to confront. And in a society where silence is mistaken for weakness, they become easy targets.
But the silence of teachers should not be misread. It is not submission — it is strength. A strength rooted in purpose. While others chase trends and followers, a teacher chases transformation. While others build stories for the digital world, a teacher builds real futures — quietly, consistently, and compassionately.
Let us stop turning teachers into scapegoats for systemic shortcomings. Let us respect them, not ridicule them. Let us celebrate their contributions, not condemn them for failures they did not create. Because at the heart of every successful individual, every ethical administrator, and every thinking citizen — there is a teacher who once believed in them. And that belief is more powerful than any viral post.
The writer is a teacher cum resource person at the School Education Department, J&K
Iqbal Ali
iq***********@***il.com
Teachers As Scapegoats: A Misguided Trend In Our Society
