Common Assault Case Opened Against Free State Teacher for Scuffle With Learner

• The South African Police Service confirmed that a 14-year-old boy from Welkom in the Free State opened a case of assault against his teacher
• This was after an incident of the boy getting into a scuffle with his teacher went viral, prompting a debate online
• The Department of Education is also investigating the incident, and her husband shared her side of the story and said the incident got out of hand

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

WELKOM, FREE STATE — The husband of the Welkom, Free State teacher whose scuffle with a learner went viral shared her side of the story after a case was opened against her.

Teacher's husband speaks on incident

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According to SABC News, the teacher is facing a common assault charge, which the learner opened after their physical altercation went viral on social media. The Education Department is also investigating the incident. Her husband, Greg Balios, shared her version of the events.

Balios said his wife told him her class was misbehaving, and one particular learner insisted on playing a game on his phone. She asked him to put it away, and he obeyed, only to produce the phone and continue playing. She allegedly warned him that if he continued, she would confiscate the phone, and when she tried to take it, the scuffle ensued.

Husband accuses learner of GBV

Balios pointed out that the incident, which he believed was gender-based violence, was disturbing. He said that young people should learn about gender-based violence and how it's not okay for a boy to wrestle with a woman, as the learner was during the scuffle. He also slammed the media, accusing it of biased reporting and not viewing the incident from the teacher's perspective.

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Learner shoots teacher

In a similar incident, Briefly News reported that an Ekurhuleni learner reportedly shot his principal and was charged with attempted murder.

The principal ordered him and his classmates to do some schoolwork. The learner took out a gun and shot the principal, who was taken to hospital.

Source: Briefly News