Teacher slaps, calls pupil k **** r

Learner (7) left with damaged eardrum

A teacher from a primary school in Olifantsfontein‚ Midrand‚ is under investigation for allegedly hurling the k-word at a seven-year-old pupil and slapping her.

The father of the child took to social media this week‚ detailing how the alleged assault had left his daughter with a damaged eardrum.

“Only when we were about to leave the house for school did she mention [the teacher] slapped her so hard that she collided with a chalkboard on Friday‚” the father wrote.

Quoting his daughter’s words‚ he said: “When I was crying‚ she said, ‘shut up you idiot stupid k **** r’ (sic).”

The teacher is not being named to protect the identity of the child. The father claimed to have alerted the school about the incident and was told that the teacher had handed in her resignation.

“The principal thinks that she probably acted this way knowing that she’s on her notice period. I got to tears after realising that my seven-yearold child knows the k-word and is already a victim of it.

“The report that [she] gave to us – myself‚ the principal and two detectives – was, ‘I slapped her like I would do to all other kids and it was not so severe that it could cause such damage as per your doctor’s report‚ anyway it’s fine, we’ll meet in court’‚” the father wrote.

He said the medical report found that his daughter’s ear was so badly damaged that she could have hearing problems.

Gauteng department of edcuation spokesman Steve Mabona said they intended to take action.

“The teacher will be served with an intention to suspend‚ pending an investigation into all allegations. Until the investigation is finalised‚ the said teacher will not report at the school‚” he said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether the department had taken the teacher’s resignation into account.

Mabona said the department had interacted with the family of the child and their psychosocial support team would visit her to offer counselling. “We condemn any form of assault of learners in schools as corporal punishment is outlawed by the constitution of the country.”

MEC Panyaza Lesufi said: “It is shocking that such an allegation happened at a school‚ where learners should be protected by educators. We will take the necessary steps to correct the situation.”