Teacher fired for 'threatening to kneel on pupils' necks'

A private schoolteacher who allegedly threatened to kneel on pupils' necks has been fired.

The alleged threat came in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a white police officer in this way in the US a month ago.

Sonya de Vynck, a life orientation and art teacher at Pinnacle College in Kyalami, was suspended at the beginning of June. De Vynck, who said during an online class if pupils did not hand in their drawings she would “maybe sit on your necks”, said in an apology afterwards that she did not mean any harm.

Christo de Wit, the school's COO, confirmed the dismissal.

“The full process, which includes the right to appeal, is not complete, but as of June 23 2020 Ms De Vynck’s current employment relationship with Kyalami College has ended.”

The alleged intimidation happened as the world rallied for justice for Floyd's family.