Sunday Series 6: The Silent Suffering of Good Teachers

Sunday Series Part 6: Seedhi Baat

The Silent Suffering of Good Teachers

Those who don’t complain.

Those who slowly withdraw.

Opening 

This Sunday Series is not written in anger.

It is written in calm.

It is not an argument.

It is a pause.

A pause to listen to teachers who speak softly.

Parents who worry silently.

Students who struggle quietly.

And leaders who carry unseen responsibility.

These reflections are not meant to accuse anyone.

They are meant to heal conversations that have become too loud or too silent.

If even one reader feels understood,

this series has served its purpose.

Why This Part Exists

This part is for teachers who never raised their voice.

Never wrote emails.

Never played politics.

They believed work would speak.

It didn’t.

The Teacher Who Never Fought

He was an excellent teacher.

Not average.

Not adequate.

Excellent.

• Deep command over his subject

• Years of classroom experience

• Students respected him

• Parents trusted him

• Results quietly spoke for him

He prepared lessons the old way - 

with thought, patience, and sincerity.

He stayed late when required.

He corrected papers himself.

He never delegated responsibility.

But there was one thing he never learned.

Buttering the immediate boss.

No flattery.

No strategic smiles.

No corridor conversations.

No loud self-promotion.

He believed dignity was enough.

When Systems Choose Numbers Over Truth

Reports were “not submitted properly.”

Formats were “not followed strictly.”

Minor administrative gaps were highlighted.

The Principal knew the truth.

Everyone did.

But meetings don’t run on truth.

They run on numbers.

Majority opinion formed.

Whispers turned into conclusions.

Silence was taken as weakness.

And then came the moment that broke him.

The Humiliation Disguised as Evaluation

He was asked to give a demo.

Not for a new post.

Not for a promotion.

A demo to check whether a senior teacher with 20 years of experience

could teach lower classes.

No allegation was spoken.

No mistake was named.

Just a test.

A public one.

The room was polite.

The faces were formal.

But dignity doesn’t survive such rooms.

What No One Saw

He didn’t argue.

He didn’t protest.

He didn’t justify himself.

That night, he didn’t sleep.

Not because he doubted his ability - 

but because something inside him withdrew.

The next week, quietly,

he applied elsewhere.

No farewell speech.

No emotional goodbye.

Just resignation.

The Irony Education Never Acknowledges

He got another job.

• Double salary

• Double respect

• Zero humiliation

There, his experience was not questioned.

His silence was not mistaken for incompetence.

His honesty was not treated as weakness.

The institution that doubted him?

It moved on.

Institutions always do.

But something was lost.

What This Does to Good Teachers

Good teachers don’t become rebels.

They become quietly detached.

They stop suggesting improvements.

They stop mentoring juniors.

They stop caring beyond the syllabus.

Not because they don’t love teaching - 

but because self-respect needs air to breathe.

A Truth We Avoid Saying Aloud

Sometimes calculated risks are necessary.

But not everyone survives them.

And yet - 

Honesty with 100% effort always leaves behind a divine attitude.

Even if the place changes.

Even if the chapter closes.

Reflection for the Reader

• How many good teachers have we lost… 

         not to incompetence

         but to humiliation?

• How often do systems reward visibility over value?

• And how many teachers today are silently preparing their exit

          while still smiling in the staffroom?

• Have you ever witnessed a good teacher slowly withdraw - not in protest, but in silence?

 

This is not a judgment. It is a moment to pause and notice.

A Word of Respect for School Leadership

This series also acknowledges the difficult position of principals and management.

Leading an institution today requires balancing:

student safety, parental expectations, legal frameworks, staff morale, and institutional reputation—often under immense pressure.

Many principals try their best within imperfect systems.

Silence or compromise is sometimes not indifference, but constraint.

This series invites leaders not to defend themselves - 

but to listen, just as teachers are asked to listen every day.

Disclaimer:

This series is a collection of reflections drawn from lived experiences, shared narratives, and observations across different educational environments.

All incidents are representative in nature and not directed at any individual, institution, or leadership.

Any resemblance to real persons or situations is purely coincidental.

The intention of this series is not to criticise, but to understand.

Not to blame, but to build dialogue.

Education is a shared responsibility - 

of teachers, principals, management, parents, and learners alike.

This space exists to reflect, not to judge.

Seedhi Baat (Straight Talk)

The most dangerous thing in education

is not strict teachers.

It is good teachers who stop caring.

— Rakesh Kushwaha

Educator | Writer | Mathivation HUB

This series is an invitation to reflection, not judgment.

If you feel the need for open, respectful interaction and shared learning,

you may join Seedhi Baat – A Teacher’s Talk on LinkedIn.

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16487030

A space for educators, leaders, parents, and learners to listen, speak, and grow—together.