Under Rekha Gupta’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP-led) Delhi government, one controversy barely subsides before the next one erupts.After facing sustained criticism over the toxic state of the Yamuna (and allegations of cosmetic clean-ups staged for political optics) the Delhi government has drawn flak not just for its inability to manage the city’s air pollution crisis, but also for its questionable tactics to manage air-quality readings, including spraying water near AQI monitoring stations. Now, the administration has triggered fresh outrage over claims that teachers were asked to count stray dogs, reinforcing concerns about administrative overreach and a persistent gap between governance and common sense.The Delhi government has denied this, saying the Directorate of Education merely directed district education officers to nominate “nodal officers” from schools, stadiums and sports complexes to handle stray dog–related issues.Regardless of the ‘clarification’, the fact remains that stray dog management is not a school’s responsibility. It is a specialised civic function that falls squarely within the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD’s) remit. Teachers are meant to teach children, not be pressed into municipal work. School teachers – whether labelled “nodal officers” or anything else – are neither trained for stray dog management nor should they be expected to take on such duties.Aditi, principal of a reputed school in the National Capital Region, put it thus: “We should not lament the state of school education if this kind of teacher deployment is the norm. Do we call in members of other bodies to set or correct papers?”Kiran, another school principal, said, “Teachers must definitely cultivate and build empathy, advocate for kindness and compassion for all creatures – especially dogs (I strongly feel for this cause) – however we cannot expect and direct teachers to engage in this exercise.” Also read: At Delhi University, ‘Indianisation’ of Syllabi Is Hollowing Out KnowledgeThe issue seems to have reopened long-standing wounds about the erosion of professional respect for teachers. Sumit, a commerce teacher in one of the bigger schools in Central Delhi, gave voice to the quiet, ongoing crisis that teachers are facing:“What can one say, except that in this banana republic, things truly have gone to the dogs. Once defined by purpose and dignity, teaching has become one of the most beleaguered professions, sinking deeper into a quagmire with each passing moment.There was a time when I looked forward to every day in the classroom – to engaging with my students, adding some value to their young lives, and, in the process, learning from them too. Often, it was my students who rescued me from my own technical ineptitude; collective laughter would fill the room as they patiently taught me how to operate the Smart Class board. Teaching then was a shared journey, imperfect but joyful.That phase gave way to the era of entitlement – parents unwilling to acknowledge that their children needed consistent parenting, not merely expensive gadgets. Soon after came the administrative chokehold, where initiative was stifled and enthusiasm steadily extinguished.Monotony crept in as the system squeezed harder, leaving no space for either personal or professional growth. We were reduced to the whims of the babus once again — not of a colonial ruler, but of our own Big Bosses – endlessly complying, endlessly reporting.And now, as if census duties and ration distribution during crises were not enough, we are expected to add stray dog data to our list of responsibilities. Apparently, teachers are presumed to possess not only boundless patience, but also a special ability to understand — and perhaps converse with — every species the state fails to manage.”S.A., another senior schoolteacher had this to say: “Teaching as a profession has taken on a whole new meaning. We educators are now expected to be like rocks, impervious to emotion, so that parents, students, and the administration can hurl demands, whims, and blame at us without pause. We must feel nothing, yet somehow also grasp the feelings of an entire generation we didn’t raise.Parents act as if their children are divine gifts to humanity, and we are expected to treat them like gods. The government expects instant miracles – the Directorate of Education, CBSE, and various central schemes have left us juggling endless lists of tasks: pollution drives, Atmanirbhar activities, ration distribution, census forms… the list is endless. And now, stray dogs. Since when did teachers become dog-catchers or animal behavior specialists? What happens if a dog bites us?The teaching profession has become a cruel joke. Every spark of creativity, every moment of joy in the classroom, has been replaced by administrative grind, impossible expectations, and constant surveillance. If the best educators leave, has anyone in power considered what happens to India’s next generation?Once, we spent our energy thinking up ways to inspire students. Now, we are like goats waiting to be sacrifices, our expertise and passion treated as irrelevant.”P.K. Saju, a long-time educator and principal, though not of a school in Delhi, summed up the issue thus: “Teachers are trained and appointed to teach, guide, and support students academically and emotionally. Repeated deployment of teachers for non-educational duties whether census work, surveys, or other civic tasks dilutes the quality of education and adds to professional stress and burnout.While public safety and civic initiatives are undoubtedly important, such tasks should ideally be assigned to dedicated field staff or agencies trained for such surveys, rather than educators whose primary responsibility is towards students.It is essential to respect teachers’ time, expertise, and professional boundaries. Protecting teaching hours ultimately protects students’ futures. Teachers cannot be treated as an all-purpose workforce.”One can only hope that the Delhi government learns from its repeated missteps – though, judging by its track record, that hope is faint at best.Rohit Kumar is an educator and can be reached at letsempathize@gmail.com.