A primary school teacher in Russia’s Far East has reportedly been charged with criminal assault and suspended after a video on social media allegedly showed her hitting a nine-year-old student.
In the video, the teacher is seen hitting a boy in a school uniform while saying: “Who do you think you are?.. Why are you disturbing everyone?” The boy proceeds to fall to the ground as she continues slapping him.
The Komsomolsk-on-Amur teacher with a 24-year tenure was reportedly suspended after the video, which was filmed by the victim’s classmates, surfaced online.
Following an inquiry announced by Khabarovsk region’s police, investigators said the teacher faces up to three years behind bars on dual charges of physical harm and failure to properly care for a minor.
“During the investigation, we will assess the actions (or inaction) of the school’s officials,” they said.
Classmates described the victim as a “mentally unstable” kid who regularly disrupted class.
“There are a lot of complaints about him,” a fellow student was quoted as saying by the 360tv.ru news channel. “They say his mom herself is shocked by his behavior.”
