One of the biggest problems with schools is that they often teach students to obey authority rather than learn how to question it.
There's a difference between teaching children discipline and teaching them unquestioning obedience.
A teacher should have authority in a classroom, but that authority shouldn't be absolute. Students should be able to ask why a rule exists, disagree with a teacher's opinion, point out when something is unfair, and refuse to accept an explanation simply because an adult gave it.
The problem is that schools often treat questioning as disrespect, disagreement as disobedience, and independent thinking as a challenge to authority.
How many students have the guts to stand up to their teacher when they are wrong?
My sister told me one of her teacher made a student cry (she was too much, as my sister told me) because she wasn't paying attention in the class. I get that the student need to be reprimanded, but does it have to be extreme.
There was a skit where a new teacher entered the class, introduced himself, and ordered (very angrily) to a kid to go outside. The kid did. Scared enough not to ask questions. Later the teacher asked if his behaviour was ok. The students replied it was not.
But no one said anything. Not a single student, not even the accused. And it is actually true in many schools.
One of my own teacher said not to question the teachers authority.
Is this what the students are being thought? In the name of obedience and discipline? Of course, children need boundaries. A teacher asking students not to disrupt a lesson is different from a teacher demanding that students accept every opinion or instruction without question. Some instructions are necessary for safety, fairness, and learning.
The goal of education should be to teach students when to obey, when to question, and how to recognise the difference.
As teachers do you agree with this? Is this same in your countries (I'm from India)? Or do you think students need a little ridigity with discipline?