Should a teacher discourage a girl from taking a job and possibly alienate her? Or should the teacher accept the student's choice to retain the student's confidence, even if the job is at odds with the teacher's values?
The answer seems simple, but teachers face this quandary when their students become "betel nut ladies," whose jobs might depend on wearing a skimpy costume and putting up with sexual comments or harassment.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"The reasons why a girl might choose to become a betel nut lady are complicated, [ranging] from financial need to cravings for confirmation. A teacher should try to understand all aspects of a girl's situation before deciding on whether to tell her parents or school authorities," said Lee Wen-ying (
In recent years, skimpily clad young women hawking betel nuts have become a common sight in Taiwan, sometimes sparking an outcry from citizens. As a result, young girls who choose to work as betel nut ladies are often hesitant to tell their parents and teachers. It is this situation that must be addressed, teachers said at a discussion held yesterday in Taipei.
Lee said many girls may find being a betel nut lady an attractive job possibility because of the confirmation they receive from their customers or because they need the money.
What are teachers to do, she asked, when they have no power to change students' situational needs but are also responsible for students' development?
Wang Hui-wan (
At the discussion, Wang talked about her experiences with a student whom she discovered was working as a betel nut lady after the student's parents called on Wang to find the girl.
"When I found out, I didn't know what to do. I was really worried about her safety. I wanted to tell her to stop working until at least high school graduation, but I knew I couldn't tell her that because she would never talk to me if she did need help later," Wang said.
After much internal struggle, Wang decided to accept the student's choice after talking to her and realizing the girl had already taken safety precautions and was fairly determined to win financial freedom.
"By not judging her, I was able to keep in contact with her and make sure she graduated from middle school. After she graduated, she worked for a year and then went to high school," Wang said.
Although not all such cases have happy outcomes, Wang said teachers need to be more open-minded and accepting in order to help students with their choices.
The discussion was the second of two in the Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters' (COSWAS) 2004 Summer Festival for Sex Workers. Other festival activities are scheduled through Wednesday. To learn more about the festival, call COSWAS at (02) 2553-5138.
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