Gym teacher suspended over headlock on student

A Vancouver high school teacher has been suspended after he put a 15-year-old girl in a headlock in gym class and she passed out.

On May 15, Weldon Cheung asked a female student in his Grade 10 physical education class to demonstrate a type of curl-up, according to an agreed statement of facts with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation.

As she was demonstrating, he punched her in the stomach, claiming if done right, the muscles flex and it should not hurt, the agreement stated. The student reported feeling pain and was left with bruises on the abdomen.

Two weeks later, the same student asked Cheung about head-

locks for a proposed self-defence course.

Cheung then demonstrated by putting her in a headlock. But he held her so tight she could not breathe, causing her to panic and grab at Cheung’s forearms.

The agreement says Cheung did not let her go, but instead held her tighter.

Cheung then pulled her backwards, causing them to fall to the ground.

After she fell, the student lost consciousness.

Cheung did not seek first aid for the girl and failed to report the incident. He was suspended in September by the Vancouver school district for 10 days without pay.

These were not the first incidents involving Cheung. In 2011, he received a letter of discipline after he used inappropriate language about a student’s relationship with her boyfriend and referred to his own personal life and sexual relationships, according to the agreement.

The B.C. College of Teachers issued a reprimand in December which Cheung signed, and he was suspended for two weeks. The suspension was to run through Jan. 19.