The lead story in yesterday's STAR is indeed quite disturbing and represents the breakdown in the level of respect that was once accorded to our teachers.

The story shared the tale of a teacher who was hit in the eye by a huge stone, believed to have been thrown by a student. Violence in school has long been a problem faced by our authorities and by all accounts, the problem seems only to be intensifying.

Like many who were in her position, this teacher is traumatised by this incident and is calling for the Government or those in authority to step in and compensate her. The importance of teachers in our society can never be underestimated or taken for granted and it therefore follows that everything that can be done to ensure their safety and wellbeing should be done.

If terrorist students are forcing our teachers out of the profession or causing others to shy away from that field, who will educate our children?

We believe that greater steps need to be taken to protect our teachers and to provide redress in instances where incidents such as this one occur. No student should be allowed to do something like this and get away with it and a strong message of intolerance needs to be sent.

The student or students responsible for this attack upon this teacher need to be severely punished and must come to recognise such behaviour like is simply unacceptable.