By Karen Wong

WATCH that personal space. And be very careful with the private boundaries.

This piece of advice to teachers comes from one of Singapore's top judges.

Judge of Appeal V K Rajah said teachers have to always be mindful how they conduct themselves with their students and not cross these boundaries.

He made these points in his 27-page written judgment in which he explained why he had acquitted former physics teacher William Ding, 36, of molesting two boys.

The accusations against Mr Ding in 2005 were made by seven boys and centred around incidents that allegedly took place in 2001 and2004.

Mr Ding was overseeing the school's water polo team then.

After an 80-day trial stretching from April to December 2006, the district judge found him guilty of just three charges involving two of the boys, out of the nine charges that the prosecution had proceeded on.

Mr Ding appealed and Judge of Appeal Rajah threw out his conviction about two months ago .

The judge gave his reasons in the judgment released last week.

And in it, he warned teachers to avoid potentially compromising situations 'at all cost', with regard to their students.

During the court hearing, it was revealed that Mr Ding had exchanged massages with some boys in the water polo team and sometimes, had bonding activities that brought them into close physical proximity.

Justice Rajah said: 'Such conduct alone cannot and does not constitute the criminal offence of outraging modesty.

'Nevertheless, one cannot ignore the fact that all teachers are indeed in a position of considerable authority vis-a-vis their young charges, and must be cautious never to find themselves in situations where there is a potential to harmfully exploit that relationship.

'It is almost impossible to exaggerate the importance not merely of propriety, but the appearance of propriety, in the teacher-student relationship.'

He also said that teachers should never cross the 'boundaries of personal and cultural proprieties'.

They should also respect their students' privacy and personal space.

HAVE OTHERS PRESENT

And, if there is any need for physical contact for student-teacher bonding, then it should take place in the open and 'only in the presence of others, without occasioning even the slightest hint of impropriety', the judge wrote.

A retired teacher, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ho, agreed with the judge.

Mr Ho, who taught mainly physical education for nearly 40 years, said: 'It's a fine line that teachers have to draw.

'My philosophy is this: Don't treat them as if they are your own children. They are not.

'You can help them, you can advise them, but don't get physical.

'If you have to get physical, to treat them or help them stretch, then do so in the open.'

This article was first published in The New Paper on July 12, 2008.