Johannesburg - An 11-year-old tried to kill herself after allegedly being placed in a lower grade as punishment.
Allegations are that when the Grade 5 pupil at a private Catholic school in Joburg laughed in class, the teacher accused her of laughing at her and sent her to Grade 4.
The teacher also wrote a letter to the mother saying her daughter had been put back a grade because she often misbehaved. Going back to Grade 5 would be dependent on her attitude, the letter said.
When the girl arrived home, she took a concoction of pills. She was in ICU for two days.
Her enraged mother said her child's punishment was not only inappropriate, but harsh.
“My daughter is at a developmental age and embarrassing her like that would have knocked her self-esteem and self-worth.”
What made her even angrier was the principal's response.
She said the principal told her her daughter often misbehaved and her suicide attempt was a way to deflect from her bad behaviour.
“She added salt to the injury by saying my child was an attention-seeker,” the mother added.
When The Star contacted the school, the principal was away. The school’s head of department said there were always two sides to a story, but a case was pending, she said, but would not comment.
The Star also tried to get a comment from the Catholic Schools Office, but was told those authorised to comment were at a conference.
According to educational psychologist, Cara Blackie, this punishment was meant to humiliate and scare a child and her classmates. It did not result in the child learning from her mistake. A child should not go to school with fear, she said.
Clinical psychologist Ketso Moorosi called the punishment “cruel” and damaging to a child's self-esteem.
“There are positive ways of punishing such as making them sit closer to you in class or do extra work... it’s called correcting abnormal behaviour,” she said.
Gauteng Education Department's Oupa Bodibe said they had visited the school and were waiting for the parents’ statement.
“Learners should experience an educative corrective approach in which they learn to exercise self-control, respect for others and accept the consequences of their actions,” he said.
The Star