Daily Sun (October 22 2013) - THE furious mum couldn't believe her ears when her son told her about the humiliation he had to endure at school. Her son, and other grade ones, were forced to strip and parade around naked in full view of the class. OUR TEACHER SAID WE STINK, THE LITTLE BOY TOLD HIS MOTHER!
Not only does the teacher agree this is what happened, she insists this is the way to discipline children . . . and she boasts she has done it before! The mother is also unhappy about the response from the principal.
"All he could say was that we should forgive each other and forget about the whole thing," she said. Still angry, the mother told Daily Sun: "My child goes to school to get an education, not to be humiliated!" She told Daily Sun what happened.
"I had just finished preparing my son for school when he told me this sickening story. He told me the teacher did this because she claims they come to school stinking," she said. The mother decided to go to the school - but she went to the cops first, not only to open a case but also to get the cops to go with her.
"I was trembling with anger. I felt I was going to strangle her if I went there alone. Two cops went with me," she said.
The mother of the five-year-old boy is also a member of the School Governing Board at the primary school in Protea South, Soweto.
"I am on the SGB and I don't know how she was hired. I'm worried that our kids are not safe with such teachers," said the mother.
The mother said when the teacher was asked what happened, she said it was true."She told the cops it is the method she uses to punish stinky kids."
The teacher has only been teaching at the school since August.
"The teacher showed no remorse. She told me the next time I speak to her I must calm down and show humility," said the mother. "I will do everything I can to make sure this teacher is punished."
She has reported the matter to the Soweto District of Education.
Another parent said her child was so traumatised he did not sleep that night. "He was terrified. He kept telling us the cops were coming to fetch him. This teacher should just go. Our kids are now being taunted by others and told they stink," said the parent.
Gauteng Education spokesman Gershwin Chuenyane confirmed the incident.
He told Daily Sun: "We will immediately suspend the teacher and investigate the matter."
Isaac Mangena, spokesman for the Human Rights Commission, said the commission cannot respond as the matter had not been brought to its attention. He said on the face of it, it would seem the children's right to dignity had been violated.
- All the names of people and places have been left out to protect the identity of the children.
See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....
The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 287 222 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 2nd Quarter 2013) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.
Issued through the Politicsweb iService
