Scandal In Homel School: What Happened?

The details of the teacher-and-desk incident have been revealed.

A scandal in the Homel secondary school: on September 11, a teacher used foul language against a fourth-grader, holding a desk over his head, the boy’s classmates filmed this, and the video was published by the regional portal “Silnye Novosti”. This incident, which appeared an emergency situation for both this specific school and the whole system of education in Belarus, gave a start to a series of unpleasant events: a representative commission from the regional executive committee paid a visit to the school, an extraordinary PTA meeting was held for the parents of the 4 D class, whose children witnessed the incident, and the teacher was fired. However, the opinions about this story have divided, tut.by writes.

In the video, filmed by the 4 D class, it is clearly seen and heard how the educator holds a desk over the head of the fourth-grader, screaming loudly: “I’ll hit you with it, and then we’ll see! I’m going to jail, but you’re going to get f*cked up!”.

“It may seem I am aiming a blow with the desk in the video.But this is not true.”

In the evening of September 13 there was a flock of black shiny polished cars of the local and city officials parked near the Homel secondary school #15. A Headmistress was crying in the foyer. An extraordinary PTA meeting was about to be held, involving the parents of the children from that very 4 D class, and, of course, the teacher - 56-year-old Liudmila Ivanauna, a teacher of the highest category, who had worked in this school for 37 years.

- I would like to apologize for what happened, to apologize for the non-professionalism, and the severe violation of pedagogical ethics, - Head of the regional education department Siarhei Paroshyn was saying, standing by the blackboard. - Since today, Liudmila Ivanauna has been fired under the article, regardless of her merits, of the experience she has gained. The order has been signed, she has been familiarized with it. The Headmistress has been reprimanded, and the Vice-Principal for Academic Work and Discipline has been brought to administrative responsibility.

The parents expected such turn of events, but disagreed with it.

- Maybe, you could reconsider your decision? Yes, Liudmila Ivanauna did an incorrect thing, this is obvious. But we know her, she is a good, experienced teacher. Everyone wanted to be in her class last year, when she enlisted first-graders, the parents nearly made a fight.

The officials shrugged - the decision is taken, they cannot change anything. The parents did not stop.

- For example, I also shout at my child, I can use foul language, - a father from the back desk said. - Yes, she is a teacher, that was not good. But everyone can have a nervous breakdown.

- You will fire Luidmila Ivanauna today, and tomorrow other teachers will suffer from insults and bullying!

- Do you have any facts of insults? - the father of the kid from the video could not keep silence any longer. - When I send my child to school, I need not to worry for him. If he misbehaves - reprimand him, tell the parents. Why didn’t this teacher contact us and tell what happened? I think this person is unprofessional and should not work at school any more.

- And you come to the class and spend 20 minutes with them, we’ll see you then, - other parents said.

- I am not trying to justify myself, for I am guilty, - Liudmila Ivanauna speaks for the last time at this school. However, she didn’t turn to the pupils, but to adults. - But please, do talk to your children...

The teacher faltered, then apologized to the audience several more times, but couldn’t ask forgiveness of the boy’s parents for what she did. She said she had reasons for this, and tried to explain those reasons, accurately choosing the words.

- The children came after the physical training lesson, very excited. The lesson started, and the boy made everyone laugh, made remarks constantly, interfered with the process of the lesson all the time, together with his neighbour by the desk. In order to set them apart somehow, I decided to put one of them behind this desk. It may seem in the video, that I was aiming a blow. This is not true.

The teacher went into the back corner of the class and showed how it happened.

- I took the desk from here to bring it closer to the blackboard, I turned it legs down and was carrying it, when I heard these words in my address [this refers to the kid allegedly having sworn at the teacher] so I turned around. You know, I thought I could stop them this way, although it was boorish and wrong, as I didn’t know what to do with them.

“What shall we do to make them not fire you?”

In a conversation with tut.by, the teacher tried to explain what happened on that day.

“You know, one thing led to another. It was my bad health, fatigue, and the child was clearly provoking me.. This is not my class. Their teacher was sick and I was asked to replace her. In the morning on the first shift I gave lessons to my class. During the break I managed to go feed my sick bedridden mother, I did not have time for my own injections. I ran to school and came to this fourth grade.”

Our conversation was repeatedly interrupted by the parents of “her” second-graders. They say at school that when this teacher enlisted newbies, everyone sought to get into her class - and didn’t regret it.

- Liudmila Ivanauna, what shall we do to make them not fire you?

- What will happen to our children now?!

It was noisy in the corridor, and the teacher led “her” parents in her already former office.

There was a pile of pills on the teacher’s desk, thank-you letters and certificates hang on the wall in the corner. She told how she had spent half of her vacation in class, to prepare the classroom for the new academic year. She told she even changed the linoleum on the floor for her own vacation allowance. Liudmila Ivanauna’s office really looks nice and neat.

However, a new teacher will come here on Monday. And Liudmila Ivanauna will take care of her bedridden mother, according to her words. The teacher needed to work two more months for the retirement, but she, of course, did not intend to leave her 2 B class right away.