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A fight between a student and her teacher at the José Licourt Domínguez pre-university in San Cristóbal, Artemisa, caused alarm among parents and students after a video of the physical altercation circulated on social media.
According to reported by journalist Mario J. Pentón, the video was sent by parents and students and shows the teacher "involved in a physical altercation with a student."
Pentón clarified that the images would not be released publicly due to containing sensitive content, but confirmed that the incident took place at the aforementioned pre-university institution in San Cristóbal.
After the incident, the young girl's parents met with the school administration.
However, according to the testimony of the minor's father, no disciplinary measures will be taken against the teacher.
“The teacher is very good and does not deserve an expulsion. I am the girl's father and I believe what happened should not have happened,” said the man, who requested to remain anonymous, during a brief phone conversation with the journalist.
The Pentón publication generated numerous comments on Facebook, where several internet users agreed that the incident "should not have occurred," but praised the father's attitude in publicly acknowledging that the teacher is also a human being.
One of the comments highlighted that it is "common for some students to disrespect the teacher, and even some go so far as to assault teachers.” Although it was made clear that what happened is not justifiable, it was pointed out that "nobody wants to take on that profession anymore" because all the problems of Cuban society end up being reflected in the classrooms, without sufficient support or protection for the teachers.
Another user emphasized that incidents of this nature, unfortunately, “ occur in our educational institutions,” and called for greater emphasis on the formation of values, ethics, and civic education, as well as on the protection of both minors and educators.
That same comment noted that responsibility does not always rest exclusively with the teacher, and that in some cases, the student's behavior "is a result of a dysfunction originating from the home." Therefore, it was suggested that a temporary or permanent separation of the student be considered when necessary.
The incident at the pre-university in San Cristóbal adds to other reports of school violence recently reported in Cuba.
In September, an altercation between two students of the "Wenceslao Rivero" Basic Secondary School, in the city of Las Tunas, resulted in one of the students being injured in the face with a pencil, as confirmed by the local official press.
The incident occurred inside the classroom, moments before the end of classes, when one of the teenagers attacked his classmate, leaving scratches on his face.
In that case, the municipal director of Education, Eulicer Escalona Escalona, reported that the victim was treated at the "Piti Fajardo" polyclinic, where a medical certificate confirmed that there were no serious physical consequences.
The General Directorate of Education of the municipality stated that "analyses" were conducted with the involved students and their families, and that disciplinary and administrative measures would be implemented to prevent similar incidents from recurring, although it did not specify what these measures would be.
Both the altercation between students in Las Tunas and the fight between a teacher and a student at the José Licourt Domínguez pre-university are fueling the concern of parents and the school community regarding the escalating tensions and episodes of violence in the classrooms, and reignite the debate about the role of the family, institutional support for teachers, and the need for clear action and protection protocols for everyone involved within the Cuban educational system.
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