Comment: Harsh lesson to be learned.

IT'S an upside-down world. Teachers are living in fear of their pupils and parents.

And Gardai are having a hard time protecting their police station from thieves.

The teaching profession was once an aspiration for many gifted people.

It offered the immense job satisfaction of guiding young lives in their formative years and a steady, respected career for life.

Now it's a passport to high stress days and nights worrying about money.

It's no wonder so many victims of the blackboard jungle don't stay the course.

Society has robbed teachers of the dignity they once had, their place in society and security they once enjoyed.

The kids under their control are influenced more by television and violent movies than by any other consideration.

And since many of their parents fall under the same spell, they can't expect any guidance in the finer points of life from that direction.

The aggressive attitude to life has spread to society's view of the police.

No longer are they viewed with awe and respect, and law and order suffers accordingly.

It's the next generation we are looking at.

And the classroom is where they will learn how to be people worth living with instead of anarchic pains in the neck.