Teacher suspended for letting high school boy stroke her hair in classroom

Nguyen Quang Tuan, vice director of the Department of Education and Training, speaks at a press conference in Hanoi, Oct. 3, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Phong

A 23-year-old teacher in Hanoi has been suspended for letting a 10th-grade boy put his arm around her shoulder and stroke her hair inside a classroom, acts that education officials have deemed as "lacking standards."

Nguyen Quang Tuan, deputy director of the The Hanoi Department of Education and Training, addressed the incident at a press conference on Thursday, after a video surfaced online showing the male student displaying intimate gestures towards the teacher inside a classroom.

The incident occurred on Sept. 27 at Thach Ban High School. The teacher involved, a contract worker, was in the classroom during a break between lessons, reportedly preparing for the next class. The video shows her interacting with the male student in what appeared to be a playful manner.

The student claimed his actions were meant as a joke and did not anticipate the negative backlash that followed.

Tuan stated that the education department had discussed the matter with both the student and his parents to help them understand the "inappropriate" nature of the actions. He also noted that the teacher was described as "friendly" toward students.

"The teacher is still young, so her experience on managing students and the classroom, as well as resolving issues is still lacking, leading to misunderstandings," Tuan added.

Following the incident, the teacher has been suspended from her duties at the school.

Source: VNEXPRESS INTERNATIONAL