Teacher Misconduct Feels Worse When It's Closer to Home

Photo by Atlantic Ambience

I’m not a digital nomad, but I spend a huge portion of my life online. I’m a writer by day and a blogger/content creator in my free time—when I’m not being a lazy daydreamer. I’m so used to browsing the internet that I assumed I’d grown desensitized to the disturbing news coming out of the United States: teachers abusing students.

Even worse, many of these cases involve female teachers—something that still shocks me deeply as a former educator.

If you’ve read my previous work, you know I was once a teacher, and I still consider that period one of the most fulfilling times of my life. Before that, I was a tutor. My mother is also a public school teacher. Teaching runs in the family.

Part of becoming a teacher is accepting the responsibility of helping raise a new generation—preparing them for adulthood, supporting parents by preserving the child’s innocence for as long as possible, and guiding them through the world’s harsh realities.

The role is to educate, protect, and prepare.

So what happens when the very place that’s supposed to protect children becomes the same place where abuse thrives—sometimes celebrated, other times hidden in plain sight?

When “Far Away” Problems Suddenly Feel Familiar

Lately, I keep hearing about female teachers in America who “fell in love” with their students, or worse, claim they were seduced by minors. I don’t have the specifics memorized, but based on my watch history and research, the cases are increasing—alarmingly so.

Male perpetrators remain the majority, but the rising number of female offenders is deeply concerning.

Naturally, I reflected on my own experiences—first as a student, then as a teacher.

Yes, I noticed questionable behaviors back then, but I never saw anything clearly. And honestly, would I have sounded the alarm? I was a kid. Kids laugh things off. They tease each other. They joke about a male teacher favoring a girl, or celebrate boys who get “close” to a female teacher and have alone time with them.

At the time, I didn’t know better. Looking back now, I wonder how much went unnoticed.

When the News Hits Close to Home

During this reflection, I stumbled on a similar story—but this time, it happened in the Philippines.

A teacher allegedly kept a “dark room” in his classroom, using it as a punishment space. But instead of discipline, he committed unspeakable acts on the children he locked inside with him.

The alarm was raised when one child became terrified of returning to the room and broke down when her mother asked why.

The teacher was apprehended, though his identity was protected for liability reasons—something that didn’t sit well with me.

This news reminded me of the times male classmates bragged about “encounters” with certain teachers. I brushed it off back then, thinking they were just close to their teachers. But I was wrong. Predators can be anywhere—even in fresh graduates who become teachers.

It made me question every casual compliment, every overly friendly teacher-student interaction I witnessed growing up.

Worse, I realized how normalized some of it was.

In the Philippines, teachers are addressed formally in and out of school—it reinforces boundaries, my mother would say. In the U.S., interactions appear more casual, and that comfort sometimes blurs critical lines.

Understanding the Problem Across Cultures

Predatory behavior isn’t cultural. It’s not “an American issue” or “a Filipino issue.”

It’s a people issue—an epidemic rooted in lack of proper role models, unresolved trauma, or outright abuse of power.

Many abusers were once victims themselves, but that will never excuse harming children who look to you for safety.

Some blame the internet, social media, or modern openness. But truly—where is the boundary? Where is the self-respect? And what does this mean for young, motivated educators who genuinely want to enrich students’ lives?

What This Means for Future Educators

It pains me to admit this, but teachers are not scrutinized enough. One major reason?

Teacher shortage.

If we start rejecting applicants with questionable pasts, inappropriate behavior, or unprofessional boundaries, the workforce shrinks even more. In the Philippines, we constantly hear complaints about the lack of teachers, classrooms, accessible roads, and stable internet.

What’s worse is that corruption and nepotism further limit how many teachers the government can hire.

Add low pay and a thankless working environment to the mix, and you have a brittle system.

But doing nothing comes at an even higher cost. Children’s minds are still developing—they cannot be left vulnerable to neglect or, worse, predatory behavior.

How We Can Strengthen School Safety

1. Improve Hiring and Background Checks

Vetting should not stop at certificates or police clearances.

Interview colleagues, family members, and even neighbors. Observe candidates in casual settings. Learn who they are when no one is watching.

It sounds invasive, maybe even “Big Brother-ish,” but schools are entrusted with children. Extra caution is justified.

2. Mandatory Ethics and Safeguarding Training

Training shouldn’t always be grand seminars. Provide clear manuals outlining boundaries, real-life cases, and consequences. Require annual ethics refreshers.

If children must learn constantly, why should teachers—who guide them—not do the same?

3. Mental Health Support for Teachers

Teachers support children. Who supports the teachers?

A mental health team—not HR, not administrators—should be available to check on educators, help them cope with burnout, and prevent emotional or moral breakdowns. Unstable teachers make unsafe classrooms.

Of course, none of these solutions work without the cooperation of parents, communities, and the teachers themselves. Better compensation, clearer laws, and solid boundaries can bring us closer to building real learning environments—not prisons where children silently suffer under the authority of someone with a teaching license but no moral compass.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for Everyone

Photo by Pressmaster

America needs a wake-up call.

The Philippines needs a wake-up call.

The world needs a wake-up call.

Sadly, change often comes only after something catastrophic happens—or when someone powerful finally takes a stand. But we cannot keep waiting.

At the core of all these stories is power—the power to shape or shatter a child’s future. To ruin reputations. To manipulate someone young, trusting, and vulnerable.

We owe children better. And it's time we start acting like it.