A report from a regional newspaper says a teacher in the Chelyabinsk area was dismissed after an incident involving a student in the classroom. The event occurred in a school in the village of Petropavlovsky, described as a math class that took place yesterday, March 15.
A video recorded by another student, who witnessed the moment, came into editors’ possession. In the footage, a woman with her back to the camera appears to lean toward a student at a desk. She seems to strike him and then asks, “Are you okay?”
Parents of the involved students were informed and urged authorities to intervene. They called for action from the prosecutor’s office and the children’s ombudsman, hoping for scrutiny of the school’s handling of the matter.
Officials noted that the teacher had previously used physical force against students deemed disobedient. The justification for past actions cited was often related to low grades, violations of school dress code, or disruptive behavior. In the reported incident, the trigger was the student’s lack of response to a prearranged promise.
On March 16, a closed school meeting was held. Administrators did not permit the attending parents to voice their concerns freely. One parent, whose family was quoted in the local publication, suggested resolving the case without trial this time, arguing that the school leadership had not previously sanctioned the employee.
The event prompted commentary from the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child in the Chelyabinsk region. According to the commissioner, law enforcement and district officials from Verkhneuralsky participated in the review. He stated that the case remained under the supervision of the district administration and that further details would be announced as they become available. [citation: regional news outlet]
Following the release of the video and the ensuing controversy, the teacher submitted a personal statement expressing willingness to cooperate and clarify the situation. [citation: regional news outlet]
Similar concerns have been reported in other places. In Nizhny Tagil, parents and students backed a teacher who was accused of slapping a teenager, asserting that the teacher acted in good faith and that the incident may have been misrepresented. No formal complaints were filed by the students involved in that case. [citation: regional news outlet]