Teacher anger vs learner conduct: Sans Souci incident divides

07 February 2019 - 09:29 By Odwa Mjo

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San Souci Girls' High School pupils demonstrated in assembly on Wednesday, saying an altercation between a teacher and a pupil at the Cape Town school was not racially motivated.
Image: Western Cape Education Department

A video of a teacher slapping a pupil in the face during class at Sans Souci Girls’ High School has gone viral, leaving many on social media divided. Some justified the teacher’s actions, while others defended the pupil.

In a heated exchange, the teacher and pupil at the Cape Town school argue over a book and a cellphone, as the teacher grabs the cellphone from the Grade 9 pupil.

The pupil says something inaudible and the teacher replies: “Are you swearing at me? You are speaking a different language in my class?” This prompts the teacher to shout in Afrikaans and order the pupil to leave the class.

The altercation escalates as the pupil pushes a desk towards the teacher, before standing up and charging towards her. The teacher reacts by slapping the pupil across the face.

TimesLIVE reported that the Western Cape Department of Education has launched an investigation into the incident and that the teacher and the learner have opened cases of assault against each other.

Many on Twitter were divided about who was in the wrong, with some saying the teacher acted unprofessionally and others saying the pupil behaved inappropriately

Dear mother of #SansSouci girl - your child is il-disciplined and needs to respect others including teachers. Take her to another school so she can learn how to behave but more importantly it's your fault - bring up your girl properly
— jdie (@johandiederick4) February 6, 2019

3 degrees and she couldn't adhere to the school's code of conduct? #SansSouci
— Mih♀️ (@Mihlali_AK) February 7, 2019

#SansSouci she was nicely asked to leave the classroom and she refused, if she left we wouldn't be having this conversation.
— #iamCityFC (@SonwabisoMtsol3) February 7, 2019

Teachers are (supposedly) TRAINED. ADULT. PROFESSIONALS.

We watch this lady get up in the face of a teenager wearing the body language of someone who’s DYING for a fight and then we’re SURPRISED when the student finally has enough, snaps and pushes her once?#SansSouci
— ruth patricia (@ambiguousskin) February 7, 2019

Corporal must return in school or these children will kill these teachers. Great job on slapping the sense back to the child. Please lady don't spare the rod we are building future leaders not nyaope addicts or hooligans 🕺🕺🕺🕺#SansSouci
— ANELE Dudumayo (@ANELEvDuDumayo) February 7, 2019

The teacher is the adult, she has a lot to sort out on her side. She should stop trying to be the victim, she's not #SansSouci
— Maserole (@NerdyBoy_101) February 7, 2019

The #SansSouci incident between the teacher and the learner is a clear indication of what happens when anger takes over. This situation could have been avoided if the right disciplinary procedure was followed, that's all I'm saying.
— Tata ka Ayama (@BulelaniTybosch) February 7, 2019

#SansSouci Never saw this spoilt brat behaviour when I was growing up in the 60's. We had corporal punishment in schools for when we overstepped the mark. It worked. Now there's 'outrage' when a gobby brat pushes a teacher too far, because of how the teacher, not the kid, acted.
— SEAWILDEARTH (@seawildearth) February 7, 2019

Teacher on that clip clearly has anger issues. We know teaching is a thankless job and kids can be brats, but that isn't an excuse for her to act the way she did. #SansSouci
— Il Principe Oscuro (@NiccoloShakur91) February 7, 2019

A child's behavior in society tells what kind of home they come from ND the reflection of the parents #SansSouci
— TakaAngellica (@NtandoRadebe4) February 6, 2019