BANGKOK: A teacher in Thailand was fired after he shaved bald spots into the heads of dozens of tertiary school students who violated the school policy on hair, a punishment that sparked widespread criticism online.
On August 23, Thaich8 News reported that a teacher from the mechanical engineering department at Maesod Technical College in Western Thailand claimed that students’ hair lengths exceeded school regulations, so he shaved portions of the tops of their heads, leaving bald spots.
A total of 66 students were subjected to this treatment, according to Thai media outlet Onenews31.
The teacher was also accused of brandishing a firearm to intimidate the students.
The school said they had fired the teacher for his actions, which they said were inappropriate and excessive.
A Thai barber known as “Choppy Champ” recently took to Facebook to criticise the punishment that he claimed left the students’ hair in terrible condition.
Demonstrating genuine empathy, he offered to give the affected students free haircuts to help restore their appearance. Additionally, he urged the teacher to be mindful of the students’ feelings when enforcing disciplinary measures, emphasising the importance of their well-being.
Thaich8 News also reported that the students have been advised to consider taking legal action against the teacher, but no follow-up actions have been reported.
The incident has sparked a heated discussion on social media.
“This teacher lacks morality. The students will be mocked by others for having the bald spots,” a person wrote on Facebook.
One person commented on the potential mental health impact, saying: “One bad teacher can leave a lasting psychological scar on students.”
Someone else relayed their story: “I’ve been through something similar before. As a boy with long hair, I was forced by a teacher to shave my head.”
The haircut punishment brings to mind a similar incident in Thailand from June when a Catholic church commemorated a festival in honour of its patron saint.
During the festivities, a group of altar boys was given haircuts resembling the traditional “coronal tonsure” hairstyle, which features a completely bald top with a ring of hair around the edges.
There have been other reports of harsh treatment towards students across Asia.
In May, a self-proclaimed education expert in China hit a boy’s palm with a ruler, instructed him to smash his toys with a hammer, and installed surveillance cameras in his room, stirring controversy over her methods.
Also in China, a mother claimed her son now has vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder in which patients lose pigmentation on patches of their skin, after a teacher slapped the boy for not doing homework. - South China Morning Post
