An art teacher has been arrested for slapping an 11-yr-old student which led to a boy suffering from facial paralysis. The incident is of a residential school in Pune, Maharashtra.
What is the incident
Sandeep Gade, a teacher from the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Preparatory Military School (SSPMS), a government-aided residential school in Pune, was arrested on Monday after parents of a ward of the school filed a police complaint saying that the teacher slapped their kid and banged his head on the bench.
“According to the parents, the incident occurred on October 25 before our terminal examinations but we were informed about it only yesterday (Monday). We have suspended the teacher,” SSPMS Principal Smita S Patil told IANS reported NDTV.
The Logical Indian spoke to the Principal and she confirmed the report saying that the management is cooperating with the police in the case and that the teacher has been arrested.
The teacher slapped the student for not completing the drawing assignment. When parents went to the hostel to pick their son for Diwali vacation on November 3. They observed abnormalities on the left side of his face which become prominent in the next few days. Then the child narrated the whole incident and they took him to a doctor who said that the kid is suffering from facial paralysis. The doctor says the child could be suffering from Bell’s palsy (Bell’s palsy is characterised by muscle weakness that causes one half of the face to droop) as his face has started to disfigure.
Boy’s elder brother who is studying in the same school has said the teacher is known for giving such punishment.
A case is now registered in Shivaji Nagar station under Section 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt).
The Logical Indian take
“Spare the rod and spoil the child” is an old saying used to justify the beating up of children by teachers or parents to “teach them a lesson”.
“Corporal punishment” refers to causing deliberate physical pain to a child in response to some undesired behaviour by the child. It can be used by parents or teachers or guardians. Typically, it takes the form of spanking or slapping the child with an open hand or striking with an object such as a belt, slipper or cane, and can also include shaking, pinching, or forcing children to stay in uncomfortable positions.
Corporal punishment is wrong and this has to be repeatedly told till every teacher in our country understands it. This incident highlights how a physical punishment can go wrong as now the kid is suffering from facial paralysis which is visible but none of us can analyse the mental trauma it would have caused. Last year also, a video of a teacher slapping a class 3 student 40 times in 3 minutes because he did not stand up for attendance came to fore.
Also Read: Video: Class 3 Student Slapped 40 Times By Teacher For Not Saying “Present, Ma’am” In Lucknow
