When the news that a teacher had checked students' bra straps in Nanyang Girls' High School (NYGH) broke, public uproar ensued (Nanyang Girls' High apologises after attire check made students 'feel uncomfortable', Jan 29).

With the rise of movements such as #MeToo and the Ministry of Education announcing that it will crack down on lewd sites, there is no doubt that the public is now on the lookout for cases where students may feel violated (MOE to take action against 'lewd' Instagram account targeting junior college girls, Jan 14).

Thus, I agree with Ms Cindy Guo, who pointed out that students should be accorded the same respect and privacy that any full-grown adult would expect (Give children respect, privacy, Feb 11).

Of course, the teacher did not need to check the colour of students' bra straps if they were not visible through the uniform. The teacher made a mistake, and has since apologised. Despite that, public response to the issue has been overly vociferous and, consequently, unproductive.

Little has been done to achieve a full account of the incident from the various parties involved.

Nobody gains anything from such an outcome. Naysayers will continue to criticise the school and pooh-pooh its actions, focusing on NYGH's reputation as an "elite" school which has erred, while no clear message regarding the need for appropriate respect in treating children is conveyed.

Students may also feel increasingly scrutinised should this continue. A Secondary 4 student from NYGH posted on Facebook, saying that the matter has been resolved and she wishes that everyone would "calm down" as the school population has already "moved on".

As we promote dignified environments for students in schools, productive activism should be a priority.

Goh Tze Yi (Miss)