HCMC vice principal slaps student for vaping

By Le Nguyen   September 25, 2023 | 03:15 am PT
HCMC vice principal slaps student for vaping
The Dao Son Tay High School in HCMC's Thu Duc City. Photo courtesy of the Dao Son Tay High School
A vice principal of a HCMC high school slapped a student after he vaped at school then denied it.

Hoang Thi Hao, headmistress of the Dao Son Tay High School in Thu Duc City, confirmed that a student of the school had been slapped by vice principal Nguyen Van Ngai last week.

Some HCMC students' online forum shared posts on Saturday night saying the slap was so hard that the student's eardrum allegedly ruptured.

However, Hao said the student only had tinnitus, and could still go to school normally.

"When the information began to circulate on social media, I discussed the matter with his parents. His parents confirmed that his eardrum did not rupture," she said, adding that the incident happened on September 19, when Ngai saw how the 12th grader posted a picture online about vaping, and called him to his office.

"At first, the student denied the accusation, saying he did not vape, and that it was 'his life, his choice'. The vice principal became angry, and so slapped the student once," Hao said.

The student later admitted to having vaped, apologized to the vice principal and promised not to do it again. The vice principal also apologized to the student for his actions.

Hao said the student has been vaping since 10th grade and has been caught multiple times by the school. He has also promised several times not to vape again, but never followed through.

"No matter what happens, a teacher hitting a student is wrong. The school will learn from this experience and take this incident into account when evaluating the vice principal's performance," Hao said.

Students are forbidden to buy, sell and use cigarettes, alcohol, stimulants and addictive substances at school, according to regulations by the Ministry of Education and Training. Schools themselves have similar regulations.

Students vaping has been causing many problems nationwide.

In April, four 10th and 11th graders in Ha Dong High School of Hanoi had to be hospitalized over symptoms of dizziness, fatigue and nausea after smoking and drinking substances with vape juice.

In December 2022, eight third graders in Hanoi were also hospitalized after vaping.

A WHO report in 2019 revealed that out of around 7,800 students surveyed in 21 Vietnamese localities, 2.57% of students aged 13-17 vaped.

 
 
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