A secondary school student from Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand, secretly filmed a teacher cutting bald patches into the hair of 10 male students and posted the video on social media. Netizens have criticised the teacher’s actions as inappropriate and a violation of children’s rights.
The director of Suranee Wittaya 2 school in Mueang district said the teacher has since apologised to the 10 students and has been given a “warning” not to do it again.
On Sunday, a local reporter discussed the teacher’s behaviour with the Education Commissioner of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Krittapol Chutikulkirati…
“After two years of online remote learning, many students all over Thailand returned to school with long hair, which goes against the rules of the Ministry of Education. Teachers are in charge of enforcing the ministry’s rule, so that’s probably why she punished them like that.”
Krittapol nevertheless admonished the teacher’s behaviour as “inappropriate” and sent out a message ordering all primary and secondary schools teachers in the province not to cut bald patches into students’ hair as a form of punishment.
While her behaviour was not permissible, the teacher will not be fired from her position, “because it was not a serious disciplinary offence,” said Krittapol.
Nevertheless, Krittapol asked the province’s Office of Secondary Education to launch an investigation into the incident because it broke the province’s education policy that every student should happily attend school.
In Thailand, young female students are forced to have uniform short bobbed haircuts. Beauty brand Dove recently launched a campaign against forced haircuts for girls in Thai schools called #LetHerGrow. Dove’s campaign indicates that forced haircuts negatively impact self-esteem.
SOURCE: Sanook