Principal fails in cover-up after student's rib fractured by teacher

Very typical of this country...shameless-ruthless behavior from "some" school teachers being sweeped under the carpet and then some.. I feel for that young man..geezus!

It was a rash decision and I regret it now.”

Yeah, regretting it now after it didn't work out and you got caught.

10 bucks these two scumbags won't get fired. They'll just bow and say: "moushiwakegozaimasen" 「申し訳ございません」

Just one of many cases of abuse in schools. I have worked in public and private high schools for many years and have seen many similar incidents. I am apprehensive in sending my kids to a Japanese school and gawd help any teacher that lays a finger on either of my kids. They will go directly to jail with a limp.

I'll bet he'll tuck his shirt in next time he's told to.

I can understand the teacher and the principal wanting to cover this up, but why would the mother want to help them?!?! What the hell is wrong with some adults in Japan???

The punk should have been given detention and time sanding desks, not beaten up. I saw a teacher man handle a student when I was younger. That student however fought back. Both attended school the next day as though nothing happened.

So many things wrong here: a teacher slapping a kid 'several times' then kneeing him in the back twice, hard enough to crack a rib. What 33-year-old would beat up a junior high school student in the name of 'education?'

The mother agreed to lie until someone else found out about it, then she decides not to lie. Meaning: it's okay to lie... until someone discovers the truth.

The principal is basically blaming the victim: His injury will effect others, especially those studying...?

All three should be called into the board of education's office to explain their rationale (after, of course, they bow and apologize.)

"Principal fails in cover-up....."

Seems like this whole country is a 'cover-up'.

If this had happened to my child, the teacher and the principal would have left my house with more than just a broken rib...

The sad point is that no verbal threats, invoking or rules or rational persuasion is effective with Japanese. Violence (or corporal punishment if you prefer) is the only message they understand. That's why these things are so common.

to teach & principle jerk

YOUR A$$ IS FIRED!!!!

Everybody involved in this story is guilty.

Kid - not tucking in your shirt when teacher asks.

Teacher - flying off the handle and getting violent

Mother - only comes forward when another parent calls

BofE - Let's hold a meeting to figure out what to do? WTF?

Father - DUDE, where the hell are you?

Principal - Lying and trying to cover up his cover up

Japanese Society - - - FAIL

Agree 100% with Bamboohat, who beat me to the punch. The mother is JUST as guilty here as anyone else;

"The mother agreed but retracted later in the day after another parent called her saying she had heard her son’s rib was broken. The mother then told the principal that she wouldn’t lie about it."

So she was going to cover it up, and I bet there was some kind of 'compensation' offered up by the principal, and only decided to retract it when caught 'red-handed' in the lie (not that the other woman knew she was going to lie... yet).

Shame on all of them.

If a school is openly discredited the parents of its students will gang up and "lynch" the whistle-blower for making it harder (in their eyes) for their child to gain entry to a prestigious university.

Other students must have seen this. I cant believe they didnt say anything.

This is disgusting. I agree with bamboohat. Everybody in this story deserves a beating (though I suppose the student already got his, cripes).

In any other country, wouldn't the teacher be arrested?

The parents should seek compensation only after seeing both of these "teachers" in the dock. The maths teacher is looking at least at common assault, however, the prosecutors should try for grievous bodily harm.　Meanwhile the principal is looking at being an accessory after the fact. In addition to this, it would not be that hard for prosecutors to really pile on the charges for both of them. Conspiracy in knowingly covering up a crime would be a give-me. They might also try for threat with menace, depending on how much pressure was applied to the parents.

Anyway after the dust has settled, the parents should then pursue both teachers via a civil action. Sue them into bankruptcy. Go on every media channel possible and drag their reputations through the mud.

Then again, this is Japan.....

I believe there is nothing more to say about this one. I agree with all the comments. Case closed.

Of course, the principal and teacher will lose their jobs, and the student will continue to be the punk he always has been as society continues its downward spiral into oblivion.

Sounds like a good solution to me.

Some people just shouldn't breed!

Bamboohat.. I couldn't agreed more with you.. Some many wrong things in this country. I fear for the future of this country if this is education, I rather teach my kid(s) at home.

@Bamboohat, well said!

Cover up is kinda fashion in Japan it never surprises me anymore. Teachers using violence to discipline a student resulting injury, sometimes I wonder if schools here in Japan are safe.

Education in Japan is at a point were no one seems to know what they are doing or where they are going! Teacher's pays have been cutback and hours are even longer, and BOEs of most cities claim no budget but at the same time they still insist on using mom and pop places for uniforms and school trips at bubble economy prices!

Parents today for some reason think it is the schools job not only to teach their children academic subjects but also but social manors and table manors, I have seen parents complain because the schools haven't taught their children how to properly use chop sticks!

Nothing can condone what this teacher has done but the Japanese laws that forbid schools from suspending students that are causing trouble or even those involved in violence against teacher and other students can push even the best of teachers to the edge!

All this said I have 2 children in the Japanese public school system and when my daughter first started school the laws still permitted corporal punishment at school, so I went to the school met with the principal and made it very clear that if anyone touched my children I would go to the school and exact 3 fold on the teacher and the principal! (never had a problem, they got my message)!

When there was a problem in Junior high regarding the "no makeup" which for some incomprehensible idea translated into no sunblock (mixed very pale skin child) I went to the school and tried reasoning with them.

This as you would expect got the standard response "this is Japan and these are the rules"! So again I made it clear if anyone stopped my daughter from putting on her sunblock and she got burned I would return to the school with a torch and burn both the teacher involved and the principal! They reluctantly agreed to make an "exception for medical reasons"!

In the Japanese public sector do not try and use logic with them because they will not get it, the only thing they understand is the "rule book" if the rule book say to house down the yard everyday, they will do just that even it it is poring rain or snowing!

To avoid situation like this, you need to make sure the school knows your position from the start and that the consequences will be sever.

Gosh, limboinjapan, you could have obtained their cooperation much more easily and without threats merely by presenting a business card with the Yamaguchi-gumi logo on it.

Was it ten years ago now that a principle was found guilty of murder because he slammed a girls head in the front gate because she was late? Honestly, this kind of crap has to stop. Teachers have no reason to lose their tempers so badly that they physically abuse a student. Both the teacher and the principle should be fired. I also agree that the parents are lame. If you can't stand up for your own kids you're a victim too.

Although i dont agree with the teacher having a WWF mind explosion one little bit some students in this country do push the wrong buttons with their teachers. I have worked at a 'drop out' school where the worst of the worst go for their one last chance before pulling the go to jail card. The students would arrive and leave school whenever they wanted, eat whenever they wanted, use their phone whenever they wanted, say whatever they wanted however loud they wanted in whatever tone they wanted, put their feet on thier desk whenever they wanted and basically dress as ragged as they wanted. I didnt last long in that zoo because i knew i would have had a WWF explosion if i stayed.

the parents should then pursue both teachers via a civil action. Sue them into bankruptcy. Go on every media channel possible and drag their reputations through the mud.

Then again, this is Japan

Yea, lets force these people to suicide! Lets encourage more "monster parents" and put even more pressure on teachers? Shame on you!

The teacher messed up and so did the principal but why be so vindictive and ruin someone life? A well respected teacher in England was sacked for man handling some little punk who refused to stop making racist remarks in a class. Fair?

The teacher lost it and should be punished but not sacked. The principal should publically apologize and the little brat should tuck his shirt in. Teachers are under a lot of pressure from "monster parents" and play an important role in socializing in Japan. They work long hours and many do an excellent job. Unlike, in many western societies there is no real welfare system so the teacher should be given a second chance. Otherwise how can he earn a living?

the teacher should be given a second chance. Otherwise how can he earn a living?

He'd probably excel as a prison guard...

Agree with bamboohat & smithinjapan. This whole situation is really messed up; from the untucked shirt to the coverup. I mean what the principal and teacher tried to do was 100 times worse than what the kid did.

I don't think schools here have any system of discipline or punishment. If you do A, you will get B. So the kids can basically do anything and get away with it. The teachers can raise their voice, yell and make threats but if there are no real consequences then the kids will just continue doing whatever they want.

Children need guidance, boundaries. There's no point in having rules if there are no consequences for not following them. Same goes for the teachers/principals. If there are no consequences for this type of abusive behavior, it will just continue.

They should be charged with assault and sacked immediately. The parents should sue the principle and teacher personally. Make them suffer.

In a civilised country assault that results in bodily injury is a crime. If you commit the crime the police will arrest you and you will be punished accordingly. This is Japan ... enough said!

The student is probably a punk, and the teacher snapped after what was probably a long sour relationship. If I was the principal the teacher would be chained by one ankle to his desk, and the student would be taken out and shot.

Fire them both. Cruel

ALARGO I CAN'T believe your comment!! a student suffers a broken rib after being KNEED and you somehow sympathize with the teacher and Principle? PATHETIC. Regardless of the students UNKNOWN possible attitude the TEACHER as an ADULT should know how to control himself. If someone did that to my son he'd suffer A LOT more BREAKS than a rib at the hands of my husband and myself. some place dark where there would be no trace evidence.

AND PEOPLE have DIED from broken ribs puncturing their LUNGS, sometimes even weeks after the incident occurred. I can't BELIEVE people who somehow FOR ANY REASON condone that teacher's behaviour. I intend to help make sure he's fired.

some smart rs kid gets what his mother should have done years ago(that guilt probably initially persuading her to go along with the ruse) and the education system of the ENTIRE country is at fault ?? no doubt the principal stuffed up but there are quite too many melodrama responses here

Kyoto, it'd be nice to see you work in one of the schools that ratpack worked in, and then you can pander to the darlings' every whim.

What Japan needs to do is start FLUNKING kids. If they don't come to school, don't follow the rules, don't study for exams, FLUNK them. That is the most shameful thing for a student or parent. Without that threat, kids will get away with anything. They already do.

Agreed.

I think some posters don't get that this is Japan, not America.

sure the kid should have been punished for disobeying but the teacher had no right to beat the kid until his ribs were broken, you people in here who agree with the teacher you are sick sick people and i hope you never have kids.

Assault causing injuries is a felony in the States, that means mandatory jail time. Assault causing injuries in Japan is only an inconvenience. That means the victim may get an apology.

Its a double edged sword situation. As a junior high teacher myself I can understant the teachers actions as there are many a student I would want to throttle myself, on the otherside a teacher has to have its boundries and physical abuse is one of them. But trully we dont know the real situation as we were not there, it may have been instigated or may not we will never know.

I think some posters don't get that this is Japan, not America.

I agree. Violence against the weaker is an accepted tradition in Japan.

Violence against the weaker is an accepted tradition in Japan.

This teacher went overboard and should be disciplined of course, but some of you seem to be forgetting that we are not far removed from a time when the cane or a leather strap were common forms of punishment in schools in our own countries (at least those of us from the UK, NZ and Australia- I don't know about other countries). While bones weren't usually broken, severe bruising and sometimes broken skin did result. The strap and paddle were still used on kids when I was at primary school in the 80s. Saying that this kind of thing is in any way typically Japanese or happens only in Japan is ludicrous.

I don't think this should be any big deal. Every time a 14 year old commits a crime you people scream that he should be treated as an adult, then when he is beaten by an adult he is magically a child again. Make up your minds.

Come on people!! A fractured rib for a shirt being untucked?! How can you justify that? So what happens if a student is caught smoking? Maybe a black eye and and a broken leg?

oh yes, mr. principal, i surely wouldn`t mind saying that my kid was not physically abused by a teacher.

For those posters who are making the idiotic remarks about the child being a punk and deserving it!

As single father of 2 in the Japanese school system and who works in Japanese schools, let me enlighten you on what can set a teacher off on a child here!

Basically it can be breaking any of the so called rules!

Here are some of those rules that can get a child in trouble: incorrect or incorrect wearing of the uniform, this could mean wrong socks, wrong shoes, wearing gloves or hat having the guts to tell a teacher some thing is wrong with the information in a textbook ( ALL Americans carry guns and Canada only has 2 weeks of summer are 2 that come to mind!), forgetting a textbook, etc... all will get a child a minimum of a verbal public humiliation!

Now here are some example of why a student may not be able to comply with the above rules! Uniform and shoes: After a very rainy day my daughter came home shoes and socks soaking wet, the next day her shoes were still too wet to wear so I sent her to school with a dry pair of shoes, only to have her sent home after being chewed out in front of her school mates for not having the right shoes, she explained the situation to the teachers but they sent her home anyway to put on her wet shoes. Luckily I was home I drove her back to school and verbally blasted the teachers for their stupidity in front of the whole school! You would think they would learn but NO, this has happened more then once! On cold days I send my children to school wearing gloves, same situation, winter coat got dirty (car plashed her on her way home) had to have it dry-cleaned sent her to school with another coat and a note explaining it would be a few days before her coat got back, she was sent home with a note that if her coat is not conform to the rules then she is to come to school without a coat, needless to say what I did next!

So don't be so quick to condemn the boy in this situation when you have no idea of his situation.

As for the mother and or father, again if their child has been a problem in school they may not even have known, the Japanese school system has yet to adapt to the new reality of single parents and 2 working parents and still schedule parent teacher meeting during the week usually between 13:00 and 16:00 and I for one have rarely been able to attend because that means missing at least half a days work and most of my employers would fire me if I did!

Back home even when I was a child these meeting would have been after dinner or on a Saturday!

A single low income parent has few choices for work and are often put in a catch 22 situation of do I go and see how things are at school or do I hang on to my job and feed my children!

None of us were there, and we dont know the full extent of the story. There seems to be so much rage in the expat community when so many posters are assulting the teacher/principal on 4 1/2 paragraphs of print.

limboinjapan: Wow! That's pretty crazy! Although it does explain why my students were always shocked when I told them that summers in Canada are long and hot...

It seems absurd that rules regarding what the kids are wearing are enforced with such strictness. School rules are supposed to help kids learn in a safe environment and teach them to respect others. The education system should be looking at the bigger picture and not be so concerned with whether the students have their shirts tucked in or not.

Humiliation is not a good punishment for children. It can even make them angry more likely to disobey again. It's better if the kid knows his choices and knows what will happen if he doesn't follow the rules.

I don't think this should be any big deal. Every time a 14 year old commits a crime you people scream that he should be treated as an adult, then when he is beaten by an adult he is magically a child again. Make up your minds.

Irrelevant argument. Whether the child is treated as a adult or as a child is not the issue. The issue is that two individuals (the teachers) engaged in these behaviors. One teacher by his act of violence, and both by their attempted conspiracy in trying to cover up the act of violence. Think about the wider world, people who commit acts of violence should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Those who are accessories after the fact should also face the court. Furthermore, in this instance it would be interesting to know the extent to which pressure was applied to the parents in attempting to cover up this crime. Undue pressure could get both of these teachers an additional charge of making a threat with malice.

Either way, the parents should apply pressure to make sure that both of these men are prosecuted to the full extent of the law as common criminals. Their occupation as teachers should shield them in no way from punishment, nor should their employer. Furthermore, the parents should launch civil proceedings against both men, and against the school/board of education that employed them, the argument being that their behavior (from a legal stand point) is unconscionable vis-a-vis the duty of care that is owed to children under their care. Then again, this is Japan....

Some people are clear not suited for the teaching profession. The teachers act may have been a one time event or perhaps ever a habit. Unless investigated, we will never know. I agree timorborder - the assault should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

I am equally offended by the actions of the principal and the inaction of the school board. Who knows how many similar acts of violence the principal has covered up. Furthermore, the longer the school board waits before taking strong and decisive action, the more incompetent they look. Furthermore, the longer they wait, the more it looks like they even knew about this or similar incidents and were perhaps complicit in the “failed cover-up.”

prosecute the teacher for actual bodily harm and the principle for try to pervert the course of justice.

Oh, and sack them both without pension

and why is this not in the crime section?

Like many have pointed out "this is Japan" and the pressure put on parents and students not to rock the boat can be overwhelming!

A few years back at my sons elementary school the soccer coach got angry at a students and kicked the ball in his face breaking his front teeth, no police no ambulance, they took him to the hospital paid cash and this school being the pride and joy of our ward the pressure exerted on the parents by the ward, BOE and even other parents not to ruin the reputation of the school was just too much!

The teacher was transferred, and the child's teeth fixed without using insurance (no idea who exactly paid but not the parents) and the boy was guaranteed a place in the best junior high of the ward despite the fact that it was not his designated school!

I know the family well and was shocked that they went along with all of this but as they put it " we have to live here and a scandal would ruin things for other families" "if we say anything we will be ostracized and have to move"

So I think I have a good idea what the principal may have said to the mother!

I'm getting more and more afraid to allow my daughter go to a Japanese school. At first I was worried about her being "half" and being bullied by other kids.. now we have to worry about teachers?

Schools and teachers can be really insane. My kid is on the junior high school volleyball team. A few months ago, he had a team mate hit him over the head with a volleyball bag, which had steel runners on the bottom, cutting his head open. Some staples and stitches. Needless to say, lots of apologies. The weird aspect of it was that the following Saturday he had to get the staples out and yet his team had a tournament. I got THREE phone calls from this coach stating again and again that my son had to play in the game. Never mind that the appointment had been made, and that I had made, six months prior, a dentist appointment. I, to my own amazement, kept my cool and explained that a child's safety comes before games, and especially since they had lost every single game there was not much of a point to the tournament anyhow. I explained to the principal that the overall reason for the kid's behavior was the stress of winning, winning, winning and the endless four hour practices. They just don't get it. If the four hour practices isn't having your team win, then try something new. And then the practices every weekend. No, a lot of these teachers are crazy, and as they work seven days a week, I can understand why.

Honestly would some of you please give it a rest? Before you start criticizing the japanese society you'll need to know the context of the country. Understand me correct I don't say it's all right to slap or break the child's ribs just because he wouldn't tuck his shirt in. I don't condone violence, or corporal punishment, of any kind - especially not against children which should be protected by the adults. But Japan has used corporal punishment for several years it not something that is going to change over night. Aside from that I'm in doubt whether it's actually illegal for the teachers to use corporal punishment or not. I know from my japanese social science teacher - and her research of the japanese school system - that a lot of people in Japan think that some corporal punishment is actually needed in order to become good citizen.

Yukikochan: You are right about one thing. About 50% of parents in Japan agree that 'corporal punishment by the teacher is permitted to some degree, according to circumstances.' However, this case was not corporal punishment. The teacher slapped a student several times and kneed him in the back. Injuring a student is prohibited by the Ministry of Justice. Not to mention this is an assault and a crime.

Besides, if a teacher is to administer corporal punishment, the rules by the Ministry state: 'the most important considerations are the age and maturity of the　students, and the place, time and seriousness of the offense.' I wouldn't consider an untucked shirt a serious offense so in NO way can this teacher justify his actions. A teacher can only use force to stop a disturbance; presumably if another student's safety was in danger.

skipthesong; I know what I wrote may seem scary but actually most of what goes on and most of the problems are annoying more then dangerous, my children are "doubles" and with the odd exception most of their pears have treated them just like everyone else, in the basics (math,reading,etc.. ) you really can beat Japanese schools. And bullying is not like the very violent type that seems to be going on back home according to my brothers and sisters! The local schools are (in my opinion) the best place for your children to learn and have friends that you can keep an eye on!

Yukikochan; Corporal punishment has been outlawed in Japan for more then 6 years and it was changed because of an incident in Osaka where a teacher punched an elementary school girl in the head because she couldn't understand, rendering her deaf in one ear and there was nothing the parents could do about it, so the father in anger went to the school a beat the teacher leading to the fathers arrest! The outrage at the time was so great that the laws were changed!

So if I understand you correctly the the people entrusted with the education of our children are so slow to learn themselves, that 6 year plus is not enough time for them to understand!

Corporal punishment was also the norm for centuries where I come from! When I started school it was still the norm, but by 4th grade it had been outlawed and from that point on for the rest of my education I may have only seen 3 cases were a teacher hit a child and in all those cases no damage was done and the teachers were suspended and sent to counseling!

As for your: "that a lot of people in Japan think that some corporal punishment is actually needed in order to become good citizen."

A spanking is one thing but slaps in the face and kicks in the ribs are a completely different animal!

yukikochan: can you guess what would happen to the unfortunate mere j-teacher that dares to touch one of my children? I'll have his/her miserable worthless corpse for dinner! (literally speaking!)

Ain't nobody touch my children but me!! Not back home certainly NOT HERE!

Japan has used corporal punishment for several years it not something that is going to change over night. Aside from that I'm in doubt whether it's actually illegal for the teachers to use corporal punishment or not.

Doubt no more. It is illegal for teachers to use corporal punishment in schools. Has been for a long time.

if a teacher is to administer corporal punishment, the rules by the Ministry state: 'the most important considerations are the age and maturity of the　students, and the place, time and seriousness of the offense.'

It looks like you're copy/pasting that; I wonder where from? Corporal punishment in schools is illegal.

Corporal punishment has been outlawed in Japan for more then 6 years

A lot longer than 6 years, in fact. When my son was in elementary school over 16 years ago, we had a problem with a teacher who was hitting kids, making them run laps round the school yard, sit on the floor with their legs under them, etc. - it all counts as corporal punishment. One of the parents was a lawyer and he pointed out that what she was doing was illegal. The head teacher agreed and eventually the offending teacher was removed from the class.

And yes, at that time there were an astounding number of parents who just shrugged their shoulders and muttered, 'But the kids need discipline'.

Interesting maps on this page re. where corporal punishment is illegal - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal_punishment

"sit on the floor with their legs under them"

Glad I got to sit on the floor with my legs over me.

**Beelzebub at 11:35 AM JST - 9th March

Gosh, limboinjapan, you could have obtained their cooperation much more easily and without threats merely by presenting a business card with the Yamaguchi-gumi logo on it.**

Nice suggestion, I'd like to pull that off when the right time comes..LOL

Slaps and physical abuse over shirt tucking? That teacher is a psycho!

"to tuck his shirt in."

Wasn't this also an infraction by one of the Japanese males at the winter Olympics? I didn't realize how serious this problem has become.

that a lot of people in Japan think that some corporal punishment is actually needed in order to become good citizen.

Hmm...so Japanese need to be hit to learn, is that what you are saying Yukikochan? What is the problem, no pain, no gain? More pain leads to more gain? Nay, I used to work as a counselor for troubled children who HAD been HIT a little bit too much and one rule in our treatment center was no hitting. It just didn't work. You can NOT install any single value with pain. All pain does is to build resentment and more problems. There is no mental readjustment with pain, it just builds rebellion and a revenge syndrome. Of course, if you are too stupid to realize this, then I guess it doesn't matter. I DO agree that there has to be far more intelligent answers for the lack of disrespect. In school suspension, work programs, camcorders in the classroom, three strikes and you need a school change, and lastly a reform school for those who really do not get it. But the present day situation of ignoring it, or hitting the child isn't working out too well.

cleo: Technically, it's illegal but there appears to be a loophole since the Ministry added guidelines so it still happens; in other words, in some cases corporal punishment is okay. It's up to the teacher's discretion.

Obviously teachers need more support here otherwise they wouldn't be beating up students and committing suicide.

Disgraceful that in this day and age a principal should not know how to properly cover up a school scandal.

It is really bad when a teacher assaults a student, which is what happened in this case, but it is made even worse when someone is trying to cover it up, especially the principal!

dolphingirl -

I googled your quote and came up with this - http://www.aba.ne.jp/~sugita/ep1e.html

It's a commentary on discipline and corporal punishment, and it makes a distinction between the two. Spanking, kicking, causing physical pain, preventing a child from using the toilet or preventing him from eating meals is corporal punishment, and is prohibited. Detention after school, cleaning or extra work are not corporal punishment and may be used as discipline.

The bit you quote definitely refers to discipline, not corporal punishment.

Article 11 in the School Education Law says clearly, no form of corporal punishment shall be allowed.(体罰を加えることはできない)

http://www.kyouin.com/exam/gakkou.htm

Anyone who tells you there are 'loopholes' has probably been eating too much surplus-to-research-requirements whale meat.

I've worked in Japanese schools for 25 years and I have seen such violence as could not be believed from the principal on down. There is rampant abuse of students by teachers here and parents turn a blind eye as they are too weak to discipline their own children. Who is surprised by this ?

We recently relocated back to Orange County, CA and where we live there are many Japanese companies and their family members. The Japanese kids in my daughter's school and district look much happier. Lots of parks with green GRASS and play grounds, ESL programs, recreation programs with the city......

A quite a few mothers my wife has met are not looking forward to returning to Japan after their husband's 3-4 year term is complete.

America has it's own educational problems but hopefully these parents can take the positive experiences they had here and try to implement them back home in Japan. But for some reason I doubt they will.

Physical attacks by teachers are common in Japanese schools.

Physical attacks by teachers are common in Japanese schools.

A physical attack is not discipline, nor is it corporal punishment. It's assault. If your child is assaulted in school, then you have every right - I would say duty - as a parent to make it a police matter if need be.

Part of the problem is that an astounding number of parents think it's OK - expected, even - for teaching staff to hit their kids. In that kind of atmosphere, those who think it's not OK find it much harder to take a stand.

I am a teacher, and this 33 year old idiot loosing control and giving a 14 not only slaps to his face but then breaking his ribs?? Sounds like this idiot teacher should be fired! If this fool hurt my son like this, I would have to break 10 or more of his bones for everyone that he broke on my child. This principal should also be fired for trying to cover up this attack by his rouge teacher.

If what limboinjapan said about his daughter's experience was also what usually happened at that boy's school, then this is clearly the problem the school imposed on themselves. If a trivial thing, like misconducted outfit can easily make a student to be sent home, then it can also make a teacher fired. And If you humiliated a teenagers because of their outfit, some of them would rebel. No wonder the boy didn't conform to tuck his shirt...

a lot of people in Japan think that some corporal punishment is actually needed in order to become good citizen.

@Yukikochan yeah, just look at that teacher and the principal. I'll believe with 'a lot of people in japan' if those two get good spanking afterward (literally!!).

What I want to know is if this kid had a prior history of bad behavior. I have taught some kids that are so God awful rotten I would like to punch them just for raising their hand, reason being I know they are going to do something completely assinine that will disrupt the class. It might be true that the teacher is a violent nutter with no place in the classroom. Or it might be that the kid had already driven him over the edge. It certainly would explain the initial willingness of the parent to cover it up. If some of the kids I taught were mine, I would not want a teacher in trouble over slaps and a broken rib. I just rather they did it for kicking desks across the room and throwing eraser cleaners down the hallway, and not over a shirt not tucked in.

I just had this discussion with a well educated and well travel Japanese acquaintance of mine last night!

We both made the same observation and here it is: You cannot tell a child do as I say without leading by example!

Here is why we say this: My daughter's present junior high is new and the ward decided that in order to clean things up and instill discipline (something that was lacking in the 2 schools that it replaced) not only would the dress code for students be strictly adhered to, but also the teachers (slacks, dress shirt, Jacket (tie optional) for men and blouse, slacks or shirt for women) it seemed to work students genuinely seemed more attentive to their behavior and studies as well as the dress code! A professional looking and acting teacher instills confidence and trust!

Too many of the schools I have worked at, have dress code for the students but the teacher look like something the cat dragged in! Sweat pants, warm up jackets, unshaven, etc...!

I have seen these teacher yelling at students about properly wearing their uniforms and thinking to myself "look at how the teacher is dressed if I were that student I would be thinking what a hypocrite"!

The experiment at my daughter's school has been so successful that it has been and is being expanded to other school in the ward but unfortunately only schools that have either been rebuilt or undergone some major renovations!

I don't see any problem with this school's policy on dress code. However, that cannot give teachers any justifications for their irrational behavior in the classroom. It is his job to file a report to student's homeroom teacher or send the student to a principal office regarding the issue. It is NOT his job to punish the student right in front of the class. What this teacher did is totally wrong, unexcusable, and unjustifiable misconduct! This is one of the worst academic sins in JP academic community. He should be fired right away. The Sakai Board of Education should implement the Honor Code for public schools in all districts of ward:

"A Sakai public school teacher does not lie, cheat, beat students, cover-up violence, or those who tolerate these acts."

Put this teacher in prison!!!

When Japanese people get angry which happens from time to time they too often lose it completely. Screaming hysterically and then as this time turn violent.

It also is kind of accepted that a sempai is allowed to beat a kouhai and you are not supposed to fight back to show strength. Look what happened to that one poor sumo wrestler. He got killed!!!

Just the other day I saw this TV show about students having a difficult time at school so they were sent to special school. What I saw shocked me. I saw teachers on NATIONAL TV slapping students in their face!! The students then said, the teacher slapped me because the teacher cares!! Whoa!!! Madness!!!! Granted, sometimes students might be cocky and could perhaps deserve a kick but the moment you actually do it, you lose. I want Japan to have stronger reaction on coorporate punnishment and a change in mind set.