Police said Monday they pressed charges against an education worker who allegedly shoved kindergarten pupils to the ground before the eyes of other students and teachers.
Regional police commander Ampon Buarabporn said a summon warrant was issued for Ornuma “Khu Jum” Plodprong, a babysitter at the privately-run Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School in Nonthaburi. A Filipino teacher at the same school was also caught assaulting students in a similar manner.
“According to the evidence, I have to admit that the teacher used excessive force against the child,” Lt. Gen. Ampon said. “The child protection team will talk to the child to assess her mental wellbeing.”
“If the child is found to be mentally affected, investigators will press more charges against her Ornuma],” he said.
Police said at least 10 accounts of assaults are being investigated at the school.
Although Ornuma was initially identified by the media as a teacher, school directors later said she did not hold a license to teach.
Ornuma is said to be the same woman who was filmed pushing a girl to the floor and pulling her hair in several video clips in a security camera footage that went viral on social media over the weekend. None of the teachers seen in the video tried to stop Ornuma.
Today’s summons warrant accused her of physical assault, depriving liberty of other persons, and teaching without a license.
The case came to light after a parent of a student noticed that her daughter refused to go to the school and discovered bruises on her body. She later asked the school to see the camera footage and learned what had happened. Police said they’re investigating at least other 10 instances of assault seen in the footage.
Another parent, who only identified as Charnvit, said the security camera in the classrooms show an unnamed Filipino teacher pulling his son’s collar and shoving him to the ground in front of Ornuma and other teachers, who made no attempt to intervene.
“I was very furious after seeing the footage,” Charnvit said. “I will file a complaint against the foreign teacher. I couldn’t imagine what would happen to him after he was dragged out of the classroom.”
Police have yet to press charges against the Filipino teacher, though immigration officers were seen discussing his visa documents at the school.
Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School administrators said in a statement they have fired Ornuma and promised to take legal actions against her and others responsible for the assaults.
Deputy education minister Kanokwan Wilawan said the ministry will establish a fact-finding committee to probe into the allegations. The ministry will also find a new school for parents who wish to relocate their children, she added.
This article is taken from Khaosod English.