The Sunday Observer story of a male teacher having to ward off the determined sexual advances of a female student won’t have surprised most of us.

Sadly, as we are all well aware, some male teachers give in to the temptation. There are others who are actual instigators.

We think advice from Psychologist Dr Leahcim Semaj for teachers’ colleges to proactively provide guidance for trainees on how best to deal with on-the-job sexual tension is solid counsel.

We suspect such guidance already exists — even if only informally. If it’s not in place formally, it should be. Also, however such guidance is structured, it should apply to both genders.

No doubt some female teachers also have their stories.

Ultimately, though, all should turn on professionalism, the desire to always do what’s best for the student, and a high moral standard to which all responsible adults should subscribe.

Our male teacher in Sunday’s article was right on target when he declared, “…it’s just a matter of you remembering that you’re an adult. And this is a child. This is your student and so crossing the line is not an option…”

We believe that if teachers — male and female — can keep those basic principles governing professionalism and morality to the fore, they will be fine, regardless of temptation.

Beyond professionalism and morality, it seems to us that principal of Padmore Primary Ms Keisha Hayle has taken commitment to service up another level.

Sunday Editor Mr H G Helps tells us that Ms Hayle, who is aspiring to political representation on behalf of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), sold her house 12 years ago and invested the money in Padmore Primary.

That was after she realised the school was about to be closed, having been designated a “failed institution”.

By any measure, Ms Hayle’s decision to sell her house to save a Government-run school is mind-boggling.

Driven by her energy, creativity, and hard-earned resources, the population of 85-year-old Padmore Primary has advanced from just 38 — when Ms Hayle sold her house — to 220 currently.

We are told that 32 students sat the recent Primary Exit Profile examinations, and all but two got placed at schools of their choice.

Readers no doubt smiled at her comment that, while her mother always warned she ran the risk of dying as a pauper, “…even if I die a pauper I will die a happy pauper”.

And further, that “If I had invested that $4 million from the sale of the house in 2011 how much would I have now? But a little Danielle Dunbar wouldn’t attend Campion and get nine subjects; Toni Shae wouldn’t pass for St Andrew High; Dylan wouldn’t pass for Jamaica College and doing so well now… We have to invest in our children.

“I am tired of seeing boys on the roadside digging out the middle of their hands. You know how many of them are bright? Nobody believed in them; some have no mother and no father. I believed in mine and I had to save some of them from the crap that they were going through…”

This is an inspirational story. Ms Hayle says she is aiming to become minister of education one fine day. We wish her well.