Does a teacher have the right to hurt a student, even as a form of punishment for doing something wrong in school? No! According to the Department of Education spokesman, Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas, a teacher cannot impose physical punishment on an erring student. A Grade 5 student at Peñafrancia Elementary School in Antipolo died after allegedly being slapped by his teacher. According to the mother of the child, her son told her that the teacher allegedly pulled his collar, pulled his hair, and slapped him. The boy complained he was almost deafened by the force of the slap and complained that his ear hurt. And what was the reason for hurting the child? He said he reported to the teacher that his classmates were noisy during an exam.
The student was able to go to school for three days before complaining of a headache after which he started vomiting. He was taken to the hospital but became comatose and eventually died. The teacher in question was already placed on leave and denied she hurt the child. Of course, she would. But the detailed account of the mother could only come from the child.
According to some doctor friends I know, the child was probably slapped hard enough to cause one of the brain vessels to develop a small tear. The hemorrhage that ensued built up for the three days since he was still able to go to school. But the skull being a rigid structure, the accumulating blood was too much for the brain to handle. This may be the reason why he complained of a headache and then started vomiting. Doctors call it an increase in intracranial pressure.
DepEd stated the teacher cannot be subject to preventive suspension yet because no formal charges have been filed against her. In addition to being fired, she should face criminal charges. Whether intentional or not, if she is found to be the cause of the student’s death, she must be held accountable. I don’t know what I would do if that happened to any of my children.
I hope this serves as a warning to teachers who have little patience and are heavy-handed. It is said that school is a child’s second home. It must be a safe place for children to learn. However, the teacher does not have any right to physically hurt the student, no matter how bad the infraction is. The PNP is ready to file charges of homicide and violation of the anti-child abuse law against the teacher at any time.