Most teachers support curbs on swearing

More than two-thirds of teachers think using foul language should be regulated as part of the profession's code of conduct, a survey has found.

The Education Convergence interviewed about 2,800 teachers and asked them what kind of behaviour they considered a breach of the profession's ethics, and whether they had ever been guilty of such behaviour.

It found that most teachers set high standards for their own conduct, but a few did admit to teaching while they were drunk, dating students and wearing sexy outfits to school.

"Overall, the teachers set high requirements for their conduct, but some do face dilemmas in judging some of their own behaviour," said Raymond Chan Mow-chiu, an associate professor in education studies at Baptist University, who led the study.

The teachers were split over whether lending money to students, hugging students to comfort them or joining in complaints about other teachers breached accepted behaviour.

The researchers suggest more training could be provided about teachers' ethics and said a widely representative union was needed to handle conduct issues.

Teachers' conduct in Hong Kong is currently regulated by the Council on Professional Conduct in Education.