The nation has been shocked by several kindergarten abuse cases recently exposed online. A surveillance camera in a kindergarten in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province shows a teacher beating several kids, with one girl being slapped in the face over 70 times. Later, netizens posted photos of kindergarten abuse in Wenling, Zhejiang Province. In one particularly nauseating picture, a boy screams in pain as he is lifted off the ground by his ears.

The cases have stirred public anger. Young parents are especially concerned, worrying if their own kids are suffering similar abuse. Teachers are supposed to show care and love to kids, and the callous faces of the teachers from those videos and photos have a chilling effect.

There are various analyses of the reasons behind these teachers' violent actions. Some believe it's linked to the lack of legal punishments for such cases. The teacher from Wenling was detained by police on charges of trouble-making, exposing an embarrassing loophole in the law. Some believe it's because of the poor quality of teachers at private kindergartens, where many of the staff do not have the proper qualifications to work as teachers.

These conclusions are not unfounded, but still cannot fully address people's doubts. Such abusive behavior has challenged the bottom line of basic human ethics.

In both the above-mentioned cases, the teachers seemed to be caught in fits of rage. They appear to be venting their pent-up fury, as opposed to just being annoyed by naughty kids. In the Wenling case, the teacher was even seen to be smiling as she pulled the boy off the ground by his ears.

Incidents of kindergarten abuse are individual, extreme cases. But it's worth thinking about why anger, anxiety, mistrust and even hatred are becoming increasingly prevalent throughout society. When these negative emotions cannot be effectively controlled or released, they may lead to aggressive behavior, such as quarrels and even physical violence in public.

Such a negative social mood can be seen everywhere. On buses, people fight for seats. In airports, passengers attack airport staff if their flights are delayed. When attacks are aimed at innocent children, the public's most sensitive nerve is touched.

Certainly, those violent kindergarten teachers' actions cannot be forgiven by these explanations. The Ministry of Education has clearly stated that such cases should be handled seriously. And we're optimistic that "child abuse" will become listed as a specific charge under the law. However, we should reflect more about these cases. Friendliness, trust and harmonious coexistence should be basic lessons that the public learns again.

ynet.com