A Manenberg mom has laid criminal charges against a teacher at Manenberg High School after he allegedly moered her 15-year-old daughter.
But the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) says the girl had stabbed the teacher with a pen.
PRIORITY: Incident occurred at Manenberg High School. Photo: Monique Duval
Mom Barbara Pretorius, 50, says she is kwaad after her daughter Kaelyn missed her Geography exam on Wednesday as a result of the incident.
The Grade 9 pupil says she was standing with her friends near the toilets when a boy came running towards them being chased by the teacher.
“Those boys used to be at the school, but are not allowed to be there,” says the teen.
“The boy ran into me and the teacher grabbed both of us but then the boy got away and he started smacking and punching me in the face.”
Kaelyn went home and her mother took her to the police station and Heideveld Day Hospital to complete a J88 injury report.
Meisie ‘assaulted by male onnie after she stabbed him with pen’. Photo: Monique Duval
“I just want to know what gives him the right to hit my child. Her face was red but she is OK, it’s just her head that was sore. He hit her like she was a boy and it’s not right.”
The school principal, Mr. Brown, did not want to comment and referred queries to the WCED.
WCED spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, says they are investigating the matter.
“The teacher caught the learners bunking class and smoking. The teacher reportedly ran after the learners when they ran away,” says Hammond.
“The teacher caught up with the learner and allegedly grabbed her by the collar of her jacket.
“The learner then allegedly stabbed the teacher in the hand with a pen. The school will investigate this incident as a priority.”
Kaelyn, however, denies stabbing the teacher, saying she did not have a pen on her.
Hammond says the school has been engaging with learners and parents about rude pupils who bunk class, smoke, fight, bully and use foul language in class.
But Barbara claims the school has never contacted her to raise any issues.
“No, they didn’t contact me, they don’t even have my number. I am going ahead with the criminal case because he has no right to hit her.”
Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed an assault case has been registered and no arrests have been made yet.
monique.duval@inl.co.za