Too extreme? Teacher in China draws criticism for ordering students to submerge their phones in water as punishment

A teacher in China has come up with a rather drastic and unconventional method to discipline errant students who disobey school rules.

To punish students for bringing their mobile devices to school, a middle school teacher from Mingya School in Guizhou has resorted to making them submerge their phones in a basin of water, reported the South China Morning Post.

In a video circulating on Chinese social media, students can be seen taking turns to place their confiscated devices into a basin of water.

The teacher reportedly filmed the incident and uploaded the clip to their personal social media account last Tuesday (May 9).

A male teacher from Mingya School told Chinese media that the school strictly prohibits mobile phones, along with romantic relationships, smoking and drinking.

The teacher added that they had previously obtained permission from the students' parents to punish those who break the rules, even to the extent of throwing the mobile phones on the floor. 

"Since throwing phones onto the floor could have a bad influence on the children, the teacher decided that the water treatment was a more appropriate solution," said the teacher.

The punishment video drew flak from netizens who felt the teacher's methods were too extreme. 

"Even if the parents agreed, this is not the way. [The phones] cost money, they should just confiscate the phones and let the parents discipline them," wrote one netizen.

One even suggested that the school could be breaking the law. "The students could report a criminal case of their private property being damaged," wrote the netizen.

Responding to the online criticism, Mingya School issued a statement on May 11, saying they have reprimanded the teacher who implemented the punishment. 

According to the school, 20 ninth-grade students had snuck their phones into their dormitories and were using them till late, which affected their rest.

The school added they were also in contact with the parents of the students whose phones were soaked to discuss compensation. 

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com