ARTICLE II: ON THE OBLIGATIONS OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

450. • I. Teachers and instructors owe to students: 1° love; 2° example; 3° correction; 4° doctrine. The reason is both because they in some way stand in the place of parents, and because they are instituted for educating students in sound doctrine of morals and letters.

Therefore they ought: 1° to perfect themselves in the knowledge which they teach, for duly educating others; 2° to promote the progress of students in letters, as much as in them lies; to turn them away, as much as they can, from others who are disgraced by depraved morals, and whom they ought in no way to admit into their schools.

Hence instructors can offend even gravely when they neglect the instruction of students, or punish them unjustly or indiscreetly; but especially if they seduce them, by impelling them for example to carnal sins; if they do not teach good morals; if deliberately they teach false things as true, or things harmful to salvation; if they admit or retain students imbued with evil morals who are pernicious to others, etc. Cf. n. 437. case VI, 440. 1°.

451. • II. Students are bound to exhibit to teachers:

1° Love and reverence, because of their superiority and care.

2° Obedience, while they are being educated by them in good morals and arts. The reason is plain: for the reciprocal obligation of students toward teachers imports this, since teachers would be obligated altogether in vain to educate them or imbue them with good morals unless students were likewise obligated to follow the admonitions and precepts of teachers.

Hence students sin if, instead of studying diligently, they waste time in idleness, play, or other foolishness contrary to the will of their teachers; but much more gravely if they detract from teachers, ridicule them, mock them, afflict them with curses, calumnies, annoyances, etc.

Concerning these obligations we note these dispositions of our civil law. "The power allowed by law to the parent over the person of the child may be delegated to a tutor or instructor, the better to accomplish the purpose of education. A schoolmaster, who stands in that character loco parentis, may in proper cases inflict moderate and reasonable chastisement, even for acts done out of school, if prejudicial to its order and good discipline."¹