Hair cutting at Thai schools: Student attacks teacher at Loei school

[webfact]

 

Sanook Thai Caption: A student kicked me (says teacher)

 

Thai media Thai Rath and Sanook investigated at a school in Loei in NE Thailand after reports on Line that a social studies teacher had been attacked by a M2, 14 year old student. 

 

The teacher had told the pupil before the last period of the day they he would cut his hair that was too long. It would be done in front of the class. 

 

As all the students were sitting the boy in question came forward and attacked Charnsak with several kicks then threw a plastic chair at him. 

 

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Picture: Thai Rath

 

He was injured in several places but did not fight back as it was a student.

 

However they fought over a pair of scissors. The teacher was worried they might be used as a weapon.

 

A fellow student aged 13 told Thai Rath that the boy in question had planned the attack. 

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

While a fellow female teacher said she was appalled that a teacher who was there to teach children would be attacked in this way.

 

No one mentioned human rights just that long hair was against school rules for secondary pupils, notes ASEAN NOW. 

 

 

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[DezLez]

I do not condone the boy attacking the teacher but teachers should not be cutting pupil's hair!

[JonnyF]

This doesn't surprise me. It was just a matter of time in fact. It also wouldn't surprise me if a gun is used at some point in the future.

 

They need to stop this humiliating practice immediately before someone gets seriously hurt, either by a student or a parent. People get killed here for a lot less than humiliating/assaulting someone's child.

[khwaibah]

%$@% the teacher. Fire her or him.

[Hamus Yaigh]

It was self defense by the student. Teachers doing this should be outlawed.

[trainman34014]

Teachers need to spend more time actually 'teaching' something useful or; God Forbid', answering questions, as the majority of Kids coming out of School here know little more than when they went in !

 

The whole Education system is an utter disgrace.

[NanLaew]

44 minutes ago, webfact said:

While a fellow female teacher said she was appalled that a teacher who was there to teach children would be attacked in this way.

How about being appalled that the teacher thought he was there to be a barber?

Edited June 2, 2022 by NanLaew

[KhunLA]

Kudos to the student for standing for himself.  Not sure what 'planning the attack' would actually be.

 

Did he simply state if teacher tries to cut my hair, I'm resisting by any means.   Or I'm going to attack the teacher pre-emptive. 

 

Either way, teachers should not be touching students at all, for any reason.

[seajae]

teacher got what he deserved, trying to embarrass the student by doing it in front of the class and he would have screwed up his hair as well, he is not a hair dresser, he should have told the student to get his hair cut at a hair dressing shop. While the student did the wrong thing I cannot lay the blame on him as the teacher was the one in the wrong, thai teachers think they are gods even though a lot are pathetic teachers at best

 

Edited June 2, 2022 by seajae

[StayinThailand2much]

Not the hair length of students is the biggest problem schools in Thailand face, but corruption, using the school as a money-spinner, unqualified teachers, lack of/ unsuitable/outdated teaching aids and materials, and outdated teaching practices (e.g. rote learning, teacher-centred education, etc.), more reminiscent of 1922 than 2022...

Edited June 2, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[foreverlomsak]

The Department of Education have stated many times that teachers should not cut students hair, or otherwise inflict marks in the students hair causing the hair to be needing cut. The first time I heard of this "hands off" policy was back in 2008/9 when I started studying for a Thai teachers license.

Edited June 2, 2022 by foreverlomsak
Clarification

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

As all the students were sitting the boy in question came forward and attacked Charnsak with several kicks then threw a plastic chair at him. 

All things considered...fair enough.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

This doesn't surprise me. It was just a matter of time in fact. It also wouldn't surprise me if a gun is used at some point in the future.

We're not in the US.

 

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

They need to stop this humiliating practice immediately before someone gets seriously hurt, either by a student or a parent. People get killed here for a lot less than humiliating/assaulting someone's child.

A valid point...  There seems to be some ‘brainwashing’ amongst the poor that make it acceptable for authority figures to treat those considered below them in an extremely poor manner. Teachers seem to be revered (not a bad thing), but it leads to a corrupted idea of power and that is detrimental to the education system on a whole (i.e .when kids can’t question the teacher).

 

In this example and the many public examples of ‘hair cutting in schools’ gone before the idea that a teacher cuts a childs hair is outrageous, its assault - the child could argue he was defending himself. 

 

There is a simple solution: Contact the parents and ask them to ensure their son’s hair is cut. 

 

Additionally, hair cutting: Is there really a need for it ? I understand the need for keeping hair maintained to prevent spread of louse etc but that doesn’t mean the ‘military style buzz cut’ which removes the identity and individuality of children.... 

 

This is one of the many arenas where common sense and discretion is absent. 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, foreverlomsak said:

The Department of Education have stated many times that teachers should not cut students hair, or otherwise inflict marks in the students hair causing the hair to be needing cut. The first time I heard of this "hands off" policy was back in 2008/9 when I started studying for a Thai teachers license.

No one cares about the rules because there is no accountability for breaking them. 

 

This is Thailand, all of Thailand to a T....        Just do what you want, when an issue occurs it hits the news and social media for a few days, there is an ‘official announcement’ then back to normal, no change. 

 

 

[ikke1959]

A teacher teaches and a barber cuts hair... I know there are teachers who are barbers too in their spare time, but this is school and it is not done to cut hair of students.... There are other ways to let them cut their hair if they don't do...Of course the military regime has got their time and the children are now aware that enough is enough of all the stupid rules and must do's...Revolutions starts at schools mostly

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

While a fellow female teacher said she was appalled that a teacher who was there to teach children would be attacked in this way.

Then teach the children and leave the hair cutting for the parents to deal with... 

Contact the parents if it bothers the teach (school that much).

 

My Son goes to Int’l school and we’re fortunate that everything is run well, with common sense and in the Children's best interests. There are hair and jewellery rules, but they allow for common sense and safety... i.e. not too long and no crazy colours, no loose jewellery - thats about it. 

 

The whole idea of a teacher even contemplating cutting my sons hair is simply outside the realms of possibility... but Thai’s schools are pretty much victorian in their approach to education which really is a shame for Thailand. 

[JonnyF]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

We're not in the US.

 

A valid point...  There seems to be some ‘brainwashing’ amongst the poor that make it acceptable for authority figures to treat those considered below them in an extremely poor manner. Teachers seem to be revered (not a bad thing), but it leads to a corrupted idea of power and that is detrimental to the education system on a whole (i.e .when kids can’t question the teacher).

 

In this example and the many public examples of ‘hair cutting in schools’ gone before the idea that a teacher cuts a childs hair is outrageous, its assault - the child could argue he was defending himself. 

 

There is a simple solution: Contact the parents and ask them to ensure their son’s hair is cut. 

 

Additionally, hair cutting: Is there really a need for it ? I understand the need for keeping hair maintained to prevent spread of louse etc but that doesn’t mean the ‘military style buzz cut’ which removes the identity and individuality of children.... 

 

This is one of the many arenas where common sense and discretion is absent. 

 

 

 

Yes I am well aware we are not in the US. This thread is about Thailand and it may have escaped your attention that there are a lot of guns here and people get shot here for very minor reasons. 

 

I recall two in the last week. One because some guys turned up in a noisy cement truck and another because a stranger asked someone for a beer. Again, not in the US. In Thailand.

 

You may also be aware that loss of face is no joke here. Forcibly cutting the hair of someone's child in front of their classmates would fall into that bracket so my point is maybe it would be prudent to stop this humiliating practice before a parent having a bad day turns up at the schoolgates and fixes the problem themselves, Thai style.

 

[ikke1959]

2 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Teachers need to spend more time actually 'teaching' something useful or; God Forbid', answering questions, as the majority of Kids coming out of School here know little more than when they went in !

 

The whole Education system is an utter disgrace.

The kids can't ask questions because the teacher doesn't know the answers.... When I was in school teaching I asked some teachers to explain something about a celebration and she didn't know what it was....just as an example..

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

(...) but that doesn’t mean the ‘military style buzz cut’ which removes the identity and individuality of children.... 

I always suspected that this is the main reason.

[spidermike007]

While I do not condone violence against teachers, I can understand the frustration. Why the need to humiliate the kid over a rather subjective decision about his hair? And why should a teacher have this authority? Why not punish the teacher for a lack of respect toward the student? 

 

I hear many stories about the arrogance of teachers here. Combined with the social pressures of not being able to question them or their curriculum, I understand the hatred of teachers, by many. 

[richard_smith237]

45 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Yes I am well aware we are not in the US. This thread is about Thailand and it may have escaped your attention that there are a lot of guns here and people get shot here for very minor reasons. 

 

I recall two in the last week. One because some guys turned up in a noisy cement truck and another because a stranger asked someone for a beer. Again, not in the US. In Thailand.

 

You may also be aware that loss of face is no joke here. Forcibly cutting the hair of someone's child in front of their classmates would fall into that bracket so my point is maybe it would be prudent to stop this humiliating practice before a parent having a bad day turns up at the schoolgates and fixes the problem themselves, Thai style.

 

Take a deep breath.....    I should have used an emoticon to highlight my ‘jibe at the US’ for their disproportionate and outrageous number of shootings, particularly school shootings (27 so far this year)...

 

And of course, I agree...  events such as this can trigger disproportionate and extreme acts of anger, revenge and violence. 

 

 

[billd766]

35 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

The kids can't ask questions because the teacher doesn't know the answers.... When I was in school teaching I asked some teachers to explain something about a celebration and she didn't know what it was....just as an example..

If my son asks me a question at home that I don't know the answer to , I will tell him that I don't know.

 

Then I will search the internet for the answer, hopefully with his help.

 

[Lite Beer]

Seems like the student was defending himself against an assault.

Well done boy.

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

While a fellow female teacher said she was appalled that a teacher who was there to teach children would be attacked in this way.

Exactly. He is there to teach, not humiliate. By the way, how long is that fellow female teacher's hair?

[StayinThailand2much]

33 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Exactly. He is there to teach, not humiliate. By the way, how long is that fellow female teacher's hair?

That's a good idea. If they want conformity, then the male teachers should get the same haircut as the boys, and the female teachers the same as their female students. Wonder how this would work out... ????

[2long]

The tide is turning...

- Hair cuts in school.

- Thinking for oneself.

- How they view people who stole authority through the use of tanks and the invisible shield.

- 56x2 

- No longer believing everything that is told to them by 'elders & betters' from a young age.

 

It's not all for the good, but most of it is. ????????????????????????????

[paulikens]

good on the student.  

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The teacher had told the pupil before the last period of the day they he would cut his hair that was too long. It would be done in front of the class. 

Which recently was stated quite clearly my the education minister was ILLEGAL

teacher you just learned a valuable lesson..

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

While a fellow female teacher said she was appalled that a teacher who was there to teach children would be attacked in this way.

But not shocked at the verbal threat of cutting a students hair which is strictly illegal?

[Tony125]

1 hour ago, paulikens said:

good on the student.  

Guess the teachers have'nt read the messages yet

 

Teachers Told to Stop Punishing Students Over Hairstyle Violationshttps://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG220524223804970#:~:text=Teachers Told to Stop Punishing Students Over Hairstyle Violations,-24 May 2022&text=BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry,punishment for breaking hairstyle rules.

 

Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong said during a meeting that no ministerial regulation allows teachers to humiliate students who violate hairstyle regulations by arbitrarily trimming or cutting their hair.

There are  many other articles in Thai Media that ThaiVisa cannot quote stating teachers are no longer allowed to cut students hair. Try and you get what you deserve., hopefully.