Teacher beats student over flippant comment; loses 10% of salary

Throw him out. Then complain when a far worse teacher takes his place.

Japan is desperate for decent teachers already.

Fact is, Japan needs to reduce the stress load of the teachers it already has, then this teacher might not have snapped. If we were placing bets, I would bet that it was some completely unnecessary duty which made him late for the meeting in the first place.

I also bet that this teacher has rewarded student tardiness with flippant comments of his own...and they were also late for an overflow of pointless duties.

Interestingly colourful violet abuse should never be tolerated.

At what point does a large teacher decide to reply in kind. If someone out their hands on either of my kids, that's what would happen consequences be damned.

He should have "talked" to the lippy kid behind the school .

Since it was the school athletic festival there were more than likely someone from the local board of education or police that were invited. Were there not other parents present, possibly the injured students' parents. The fact that they (BOE officials) witnessed this and only gave him a 10 percent cut in pay is absurd. What, did the injury to his vertebrate cause a 10% reduction in movement. Teachers can be canned for DUI but not for abusing a student in front of other students and teachers. What a joke.

Here's the crazy thing : if the kids dad went down to the school and (rightfully) punched this loser teacher to the ground, HE would be charged with assault. Why aren't kids afforded the same protection from violence here?

This violent dropkick should be in the lock-up, no-where near any school.

The punishment never fits the crime here, does it?

A fine going to the child's college fund, as well as a larger (15%) pay reduction would have been better, and of course removing the child from contact with that teacher as much as possible.

as a result of the violet abuse.

I wasn't aware that you could color code abuse.

Since it was the school athletic festival there were more than likely someone from the local board of education or police that were invited.

If I am reading the article correctly, it wasn't the festival, it was a meeting for the festival. So, there wouldn't have been any board of ed members or police there.

First off read the article........(nothing said that it WAS the athletic festival, just "upon arriving at little late for a meeting for the school’s athletic festival," (The rest of your comment becomes MOOT)

Since it was the school athletic festival there were more than likely someone from the local board of education or police that were invited.

Second:

Nice to see that the actual sources are credited here! Getting better!

Moderator: The sources are always credited. Please post something more pertinent to the story.

A little punishment (max. of a slap on the wrist) isn't bad, when deserved. But a sprained cervical vertebrae? This is clearly a crime of assault and battery. The "teacher" is extremely lucky it was just his salary that got affected and that the parents of the student didn't press criminal charges.

So, the remedy is for the parents to sue the school if the police won't launch a criminal investigation....

The teacher explained his actions by saying that when he heard the student’s comment, he simply forgot himself.

Wow, this dude obviously doesn't have the skin to deal with middle school students. I remember middle school, and the kids were awful, but that doesn't mean you slam them repeatedly against the wall....

The people who decided his punishment needs some cut from their pay for a decision like this.

I think the kid's dad should do the same to this teacher and then paid an additional 10% school fees.

Teacher was enraged after Student's comment. Here is immediate need to check the Parents of that Student "What kind of Parents they are?"

Middle school teacher or not, if I had to work in Sanmu, I'd go insane as well.

The kid should have received corporal punishment and detention, teacher should have gotten 10% raise for dealing correctly with such disrespect.

The teacher was out of line, and deserves a stiffer punishment, sure, but given how tough it is deal with undisciplined, spoiled teenage brats, you've gotta respect the thousands of teachers that put up with their sh#t every day for crap pay and little recognition.

When it comes to teachers or police officers, netizens love to use the example of one rotten apple to criticise the whole profession.

I'm as stunned by the violence of the teacher than by the universal passivity around.

You’re probably imagining that he was fired, thrown in jail for child abuse, or ran out of town by angry parents.

And first locked a few days in an asylum, that guy is mad. Plus, in my school, he'd have got out the class in blood as all the students would have jumped on him. The herd was extremely protective. We've done it to strangers molesting one of us.

When it comes to teachers or police officers, netizens love to use the example of one rotten apple to criticise the whole profession.

It's not the rotten apple. Recently they published a survey fighting 45% of teachers beat their students.

Recently they published a survey fighting 45% of teachers beat their students

45%? Really? Who is they, and where is the survey?

I'd just like it noted that I condemn the student's behaviour as well.

and where is the survey?

I'm not sure in which language I've read it. So I can't find the article now. The survey is at the Monkasho.

Who is they,

BOE educations were asked to do a survey :

The 2012 academic year saw 6,721 teachers at 4,152 schools nationwide use corporal punishment on 14,208 students, 20 percent of whom suffered some form of injury, an education ministry survey showed Friday. Earlier this year, and for the first time, the ministry ordered a comprehensive survey on corporal punishment covering not only public schools but also national and private schools.

They already gave partial results on this survey. I remember one of question of the questionnaire was whether teachers had ever used corporal punishment any time in their whole career. And that's the 45% I remember. I hope that includes more little slaps on hands than beatings a la yakuza like the case in the article.

So, when the next survey comes out about why kids commit suicide for bullying under the eyes of their teachers will this guys say, "I had no idea!". Will the board of education say, "We are surprised!"? This guy should not only have been instantly fired and his license taken away, but he should be in prison.

Only in Japan.

@ Cos

Thanks for the info. After a bit of poking around I found this.. Don't have much time to read through it now though.

http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/seitoshidou/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/08/09/1338569_01_2_1.pdf

The numbers match yours, so I presume this is the survey you are referrring to. The survey reports that there are 1,011,033 teachers across Japan, and 6,721 used corporal punishment. That amounts to 0.66% of the teacher population. It's still too much, but not 45% of teachers.

A sprained neck is exactly what people claim when they are rear-ended, because it can't be disproved and you can sue for more money. Hmmmm...... I wonder if the parents are planning to try for an easy payday.

Stupid teacher should have taken the kid into the hallway before administering the proper behavior correction.

The numbers match yours, so I presume this is the survey you are referrring to.

The one I quote, yes. It is about cases that have been reported. But due to the importance of the problem (that Tokyo was surprised to discover), they have announced a second survey by questionnaires... that I wish I could refer you too, but I'm sure they will publish more about it soon.

That amounts to 0.66% of the teacher population.

Those "caught" at doing it over one year, Too much anyway, number should be zero. I'm not in favor of witch-hunting and firing any teacher that ever had a gesture. But this guy is a brute, had he done it in a bar, he'd be in jail and they keep him in the job. What message are they sending ?

10%

Teachers are meant to nurture young minds, not beat the crap out of them.

Very stressful teaching JR.HIGH, so the kids was bad but too bad the teacher went ape shit on this kid!

So, what actually constitutes assault in Japan? A 10% cut to his salary is really going to burn a hole in his pocket....not.

So why hasnt he been charged with assault?

If it was my kid he did this to he would be wither in hospital or court, 10% pay cut is nothing as to what he would be getting.

outrage over a comment? That's the problem, people nowadays rage others easily for what others say or think of them but they never ever realise the root of the problem ---> him being late in the first place!

Well, still got 90% of salary, 9 more times to be abusive......

Stranger_in_a_Strange_LandAug. 27, 2013 - 04:29PM JST A sprained neck is exactly what people claim when they are rear-ended, because it can't be disproved and you can sue for more money. Hmmmm...... I wonder if the parents are planning to try for an easy payday.

I think you are mistaken. A sprain will cause swelling and can easily be verified by a doctor. Whiplash is what is usually claimed in an accident and is not an actual medical term (but insurance companies seem to think it is). It can't be diagnosed apart from the patient claiming pain. There's a world of difference between a sprain and whiplash.

Stupid teacher should have taken the kid into the hallway before administering the proper behavior correction.

... are you seriously advocating violence against school children in Japan on a public forum? Do you realise that your comment could be read as incitement and you could be liable to arrest if someone reported you to the police? Wise up.

" Do you realise that your comment could be read as incitement and you could be liable to arrest if someone reported you to the police? Wise up."

Yeah right. I can't believe you seriously believe that. Incitement!?! Lol!

He was not arrested and not in jail. Something is wrong.

Well, if so, you would be wrong. In actuality, 10% of the teacher’s pay has been deducted and…that’s it.

It is progress of a sort. From the sounds of it, there was injury but it is probably not permanent and you have to remember the punishment was probably decided by an older generation for which corporal punishment is much more acceptable and who takes proper manners towards seniors much more tightly.

Shame, shame. The school board must be hiding something. I think the teacher, school board members, and the principal should all be fired.

Teacher was enraged after Student's comment. Here is immediate need to check the Parents of that Student "What kind of Parents they are?"

99% of 14-15 year old boys are smartmouths. You cant blame parents for raging hormones and social immaturity. But a teacher SHOULD have the maturity and training to handle them.

99% of 14-15 year old boys are smartmouths. You cant blame parents for raging hormones and social immaturity. But a teacher SHOULD have the maturity and training to handle them.

No, they aren't. I currently work in a boy's school where, perhaps 2-3% could be considered 'smartmouth' - and pretty mild smart mouth at that. The rest are hard working, polite, respectful young men who study hard and do very well. The school is strict and their parents are parenting well. I have also worked in schools where there are a much higher proportion of 'smart mouths', and in their case you can, almost without exception, blame their parents for the problem. It's clear as daylight. They don't teach their kids about respect and self-discipline and control, they teach the kids to advocate for their rights, whilst seemingly ignoring their responsibilities, they treat schools and teachers as adversaries as opposed to people sharing in the responsibility of teaching their kids how to be be good, well-adjusted people. In short, they aren't doing their job properly and they are most definitely not setting their children up for success later on.

When I was a kid, if I got into trouble the first question was 'What did you do?'

Now, when the kids get into trouble, the first question seems to be 'What did they do?'

I held a pastoral position for a few years (student welfare/discipline) and I can recall countless occasions where a kid has misbehaved, got into trouble, spat the dummy because he has no emotional resilience to be able to cop a punishment, gone home and told Dad and Mum who have then come to the school advocating for their child in a case where they are trying to tell professional people who are impartial, trained and were present at the time, that they are wrong. It's ludicrous. And what is it teaching young people?

I'll tell you what it IS doing - it's making education a very unattractive career option for smart people with choices. Now, in Australia, the Universities are dropping their benchmarks so low to enter education courses that in some cases you barely need to score 50% in high school to be accepted. The literacy and numeracy skills of young education students is appalling (I've seen it first hand). THAT means, those people entrusted with teaching and educating your precious children are very, very average performers. You have to start forking out a LOT of money to get access to schools where the teachers are smarter, more professional and better at their craft because THOSE teachers don't want to walk into a classroom and hear a kid say; 'Whatever. Its nothing'. And they have the ability to move to schools that pay more, have classroom filled with polite, motivated kids, and are able to teach.

What this teacher did is bizarre and terrible and I don't condone it, but I'd also like to see the debate include the responsibilities of the student and the parents in this too, because I most certainly think it's relevant. In fact, I think it's a pretty big issue that contributes to broader social problems.

Let's imagine you were that teacher. Wife squabble before leaving home. Traffic heavy. We've all been there and then some smart ass says something and you fly off the handle. We don't know the whole story. Bad reaction. Human nature. Pay cut and apology.

The teacher should be arrested the same way people who injure juvenile.