Protecting and balancing rights in the classroom

A 47-year-old high school English teacher in Bengbu, East China's Anhui province, was reportedly downgraded from his post on Monday, for slapping a mischievous student, after the student put a sticker saying "I am a turtle, and I am not afraid of anyone" on the teacher's back and refused to remove it. Comments:

Admittedly, small clashes between teachers and students exist in most schools, but not many may guess it is the teachers who usually fall prey to almost unanimous online condemnation when it comes to incidents like the one in Bengbu. As a result, local education authorities and the schools involved may be compelled to pander to this so-called public opinion at the expense of the accused teachers' interests, without acknowledging the basic facts of the incident.

Beijing Youth Daily, June 9