Sunday Series 4: Fear, Feedback, and False Power

Sunday Series – Part 4

Fear, Feedback, and False Power

When authority stops correcting and starts protecting itself

Opening: When Fear Becomes the Real Principal

Once strictness dies,

something else quietly takes charge.

Not wisdom.

Not experience.

Not values.

Fear.

Fear of complaints.

Fear of screenshots.

Fear of feedback forms.

Fear of parents who speak louder than reason.

Fear of management meetings that begin with “We got a call…”

This blog exists because many teachers today are no longer guided by what is right,

but by what is safe.

And safety, in modern education, is often an illusion.

REAL-LIFE VIGNETTE: A File, A Smile, And A Silence

Once, during a routine academic review, a teacher raised a genuine concern.

Not a complaint.

Not an accusation.

Just feedback - about declining discipline and increasing classroom disruptions.

The management listened quietly.

Nods were exchanged.

Smiles were polite.

The teacher felt relieved.

“Good,” he thought,

“At least they are listening.”

Weeks passed.

Nothing changed.

But something else did.

That teacher stopped receiving important communication.

His suggestions were no longer acknowledged.

Suddenly, he was described as “too sensitive” and “overthinking.”

No warning.

No confrontation.

Just silent sidelining.

He understood the message clearly.

Feedback was allowed - 

but only if it didn’t disturb comfort.

Only if it didn’t challenge authority.

Only if it didn’t expose inconvenient truths.

From that day onwards, he spoke less.

Smiled more.

And chose safety over sincerity.

Fear didn’t shout.

It whispered.

REFLECTION 

This is how false power operates in modern institutions.

Not through punishment -

but through quiet exclusion.

Not by rejecting feedback - 

but by labelling the giver.

And slowly, teachers learn the rule:

“Say what is pleasant, not what is true.”

This is where fear replaces feedback - 

and leadership turns fragile.

The New Triangle of Power

In today’s classrooms, power does not flow from knowledge.

It flows through a fragile triangle:

• Students armed with complaint vocabulary

• Parents armed with entitlement

• Institutions armed with fear of reputation

Teachers stand in the middle - 

qualified, committed, and cornered.

This is where false power is born.

What Is False Power?

False power looks like authority,

but behaves like avoidance.

It sounds like:

• “Don’t escalate this.”

• “Let it go for now.”

• “Why invite trouble?”

• “We’ll manage it internally.”

False power avoids truth to preserve peace.

But peace built on fear never lasts.

Feedback: From Mirror to Weapon

Feedback was meant to reflect learning.

Today, it often reflects revenge.

• A teacher enforces discipline → feedback drops

• A teacher questions behaviour → complaint rises

• A teacher sets boundaries → labelled “rigid”

• A teacher stays silent → praised as “understanding”

Slowly, feedback stops measuring teaching

and starts controlling teachers.

Not improvement.

Intimidation.

The Silent Shift Inside Teachers

This is the most dangerous part —

because it is invisible.

Teachers stop asking:

• “What will help this child grow?”

They start asking:

• “Will this create trouble for me?”

Correction becomes optional.

Consistency becomes risky.

Courage becomes expensive.

Not because teachers don’t care —

but because caring now comes with consequences.

A Classroom Scene (That Happens Everywhere)

A student crosses a boundary.

The teacher pauses.

Not because they are unsure —

but because they are calculating.

• Is this worth a complaint?

• Will this be misinterpreted?

• Will I be supported if this escalates?

And in that pause,

authority leaks out of the room.

Students sense it.

They always do.

False Power Protects Systems, Not Students

Here is the uncomfortable truth:

When fear governs decisions,

• students don’t learn responsibility

• teachers don’t grow professionally

• institutions don’t become ethical

Only appearances survive.

And education becomes performance, not purpose.

Reflection: Who Really Holds Power?

Power is not:

• raising your voice

• issuing circulars

• quoting policies selectively

Real power is:

• listening before judging

• standing by fair decisions

• protecting sincerity over convenience

False power is loud in meetings,

but silent in classrooms.

For Teachers (A Quiet Note)

If you feel:

• exhausted by being careful

• tired of overthinking every correction

• unsure whether honesty is safe

Please know —

you are not weak.

You are not outdated.

You are navigating a broken balance.

Your silence is not consent.

It is survival.

For Parents (A Gentle Appeal)

Before questioning a teacher, ask:

• Is this about my child’s growth - or my fear?

• Am I listening - or defending?
• Do I want comfort today or character tomorrow?

A teacher correcting your child

is not attacking your parenting.

Often, they are supporting it.

For Institutions

Feedback without fairness is noise.

Fear without ethics is collapse.

If teachers are muted,

education will eventually be hollow.

Closing: What Comes Next

When fear replaces feedback,

and false power replaces trust,

something deeper begins to suffer.

Not discipline.

Not results.

The teacher’s spirit.

Next Sunday: Part 5 -

“Parents, Pressure, and Misplaced Protection”

That is where the roots are.

From the Desk of the Author

This series is not against education.

It is for its conscience.

If even one teacher feels less alone after reading this,

this blog has served its purpose.

Disclaimer

All incidents, reflections, and situations discussed are representative in nature.

Any resemblance to real persons or institutions is purely coincidental.

The intent is reflection, not accusation.

A Question for You (Readers)

When was the last time

a teacher corrected you - 

and you paused to ask why,

instead of how dare they?

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A reflective space where education, experience, and emotional intelligence meet.

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If this reflection resonated with you, stay connected.

The journey continues with the next chapter on how pressure quietly shifts from classrooms to homes.

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With quiet strength and honesty,

— Rakesh Kushwaha

Educator | Writer | Observer of Classroom Realities