Parents accuse boys of bullying their child, beat them at school

By Cuu Long February 2, 2023 | 12:22 am PT

A still image from a video shared online shows a man and a woman arriving at a primary school in Vinh Long Province where they beat two boys on January 16, 2023.

A married couple entered a primary school in southern Vietnam and beat two students, whom they believed had bullied their son.

Social media users on Wednesday shared a video showing a man and a woman entering the campus of Tan An Thanh 2 Primary School in Binh Tan District of Vinh Long Province and beating two schoolboys playing in the schoolyard.

The video, which lasted about two minutes, showed the woman driving a motorbike into the school, carrying her son with her.

Shortly after that, a man who was her husband arrived and approached a schoolboy, and immediately began to beat him in his face and head.

After that, the couple made that boy stand still so that their son could slap him in the face.

The man then approached another boy and slapped him while the woman held him still.

Tran Duy Men, the school’s principal, confirmed on Thursday that the incident took place on the afternoon of January 16.

He said that on that day, around 10 students stayed on the campus after school and played together in the schoolyard. Men added that there were no teachers at the school when the incident took place.

"When they were playing together, some fifth graders quarreled and one of them rushed to inform the couple [in the video] at their home that their son had been hit by some classmates," said Men.

The couple came to the school immediately and beat the two boys they believe had bullied their child, he said.

The school requested the couple apologize to the boys they beat and their families but they refused to do so.

The family of one of the two boys who was beaten has reported the case to local police, Men said.

As the boy suffered no physical injuries, police did not launch a criminal investigation and decided to hold a reconciliation session.

The couple then apologized at the session but the boy's family did not accept it.

The principal added that police said they would hold another session and if the two sides could still not reach an agreement, they will charge the couple and fine them in accordance with the law.

Government Decree 144, issued in 2021, says that individuals who physically abuse others on purpose but who are not subjected to criminal liabilities will be fined VND5-8 million (US$213-341).