Education is a lifetime experience as many of us continue to learn from the school of hard knocks in this socially challenging world. MLC Rachel Merton’s fanciful comments idealising kids in the past getting the cane and becoming “well disciplined” ignore toxic instances of zealous abuse by teachers. Suggesting that a Code of Conduct should now punish teachers for “being leftist” is similarly open to abuse (“Classrooms are for learning, not leftism”, DT, 28/8). All teaching is surely about being indoctrinated, whether the intrigues of differential calculus or the alien idea of the second law of thermodynamics. With accepted definitions, complicated thought processes and examinable content, those most easily indoctrinated will get the highest marks. Teachers demonstrate excellence because of their insights, publications, thinking and communication skills, creativity, generosity of time and capacity for beneficence. Given any syllabus, the scope may easily overlap into social issues which may have a political viewpoint. Learning is surely about exploring all perspectives and not imposing restrictive barricades to the inquisitive mind. I acclaim the vast majority of teachers who always do their best. The narrow exceptions identified by Ms Merton must be seen in context and do not justify new layers of bureaucracy being imposed on our hard working teachers. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta 29Aug2024