A school is seen in this file photo. (Getty Images)
MANAZURU, Kanagawa — The education board of this east Japan town has decided to remove a public junior high school teacher in his 30s from his position following repeated inappropriate conduct involving violence toward students, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned.
Shinobu Kitamura, the principal of Manazuru Junior High School in Manazuru, Kanagawa Prefecture, and other officials have apologized to students and parents over the matter. The teacher in question, who was in charge of a homeroom for first-year students, will be transferred to the education board as of Sept. 1, and is scheduled to undergo training to prevent a recurrence.
According to the board, parents and multiple students had since July reported the teacher’s violent behavior. An investigation by the school, involving interviews with the teacher and students, confirmed five incidents of inappropriate conduct toward five students between May and July.
These included grabbing a student’s head and pressing it against a desk for eating their bento lunch “too slow,” grabbing a student by the collar for appearing inattentive during a talk, and pushing a student to the floor during recess.
The school held a parents’ meeting Aug. 26 to explain the situation, during which the principal and the teacher apologized to these students and their parents. It was also explained during the meeting that the teacher would be transferred to the town’s education board as he “cannot be allowed to stand before students” and would undergo training through a prevention program.
The education board plans to report the series of incidents to the prefectural government and decide on further action.
(Japanese original by Yuki Motohashi, Odawara Local Bureau)
AloJapan.com