Police are investigating a common assault case after a primary schoolteacher hit a nine-year-old Grade 3 pupil with a chalkboard duster for failing to do his school work properly.
According to the boy's parents, Daphney Motlhamme, a teacher at Poifo Primary School in Madikwe, North West, slapped their son with open hands before using a duster.
Now the family, which has opened a case of common assault with the police, is worried that their son will not get the education he deserves after Motlhamme allegedly said she would not give the boy any attention because the parents did not want him to be disciplined.
The boy's father, who cannot be named to protect his son's identity, said he went to the school on Monday and confronted Motlhamme about the assault after his son came home crying, with bruised fingers.
He said his son told him Motlhamme slapped him on the face because she said he did not do his school work properly.
"I then went to the school and confronted her, but instead of apologising, she asked me if I want her to stop focusing on my son because she would if I did not want him to be reprimanded," he said.
On Tuesday the father, accompanied by police, visited the school to report the teacher to the principal.
The police accompanied him after advising him to resolve the issue with the school before opening a criminal case.
Police spokesman Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed that a case had been opened.
Motlhamme justified her actions and said the boy was not the only one punished.
"It was just a small painful punishment on their nails," she claimed, denying slapping the boy in the face.
"I hit him together with the others with a duster on their nails. There was nothing that showed that the child was bruised or something."
Speaking of the boy's father, she said: "I thought we made peace, I was so humble with him. I told him that I would never ever touch his son again, I will just leave him."
Motlhamme said if the father was worried that she would fail his son, he was more than welcome to check his school performance himself.
North West education department spokesman Elias Malindi said he was waiting for a report from the district manager before acting.
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
Teacher justifies assault of pupil - 'It was a small beating on their nails'
Police are investigating a common assault case after a primary schoolteacher hit a nine-year-old Grade 3 pupil with a chalkboard duster for failing to do his school work properly.
According to the boy's parents, Daphney Motlhamme, a teacher at Poifo Primary School in Madikwe, North West, slapped their son with open hands before using a duster.
Now the family, which has opened a case of common assault with the police, is worried that their son will not get the education he deserves after Motlhamme allegedly said she would not give the boy any attention because the parents did not want him to be disciplined.
The boy's father, who cannot be named to protect his son's identity, said he went to the school on Monday and confronted Motlhamme about the assault after his son came home crying, with bruised fingers.
He said his son told him Motlhamme slapped him on the face because she said he did not do his school work properly.
"I then went to the school and confronted her, but instead of apologising, she asked me if I want her to stop focusing on my son because she would if I did not want him to be reprimanded," he said.
On Tuesday the father, accompanied by police, visited the school to report the teacher to the principal.
The police accompanied him after advising him to resolve the issue with the school before opening a criminal case.
Police spokesman Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed that a case had been opened.
Motlhamme justified her actions and said the boy was not the only one punished.
"It was just a small painful punishment on their nails," she claimed, denying slapping the boy in the face.
"I hit him together with the others with a duster on their nails. There was nothing that showed that the child was bruised or something."
Speaking of the boy's father, she said: "I thought we made peace, I was so humble with him. I told him that I would never ever touch his son again, I will just leave him."
Motlhamme said if the father was worried that she would fail his son, he was more than welcome to check his school performance himself.
North West education department spokesman Elias Malindi said he was waiting for a report from the district manager before acting.
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
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