Principal's naked mischief

Principal's naked mischief

JAKARTA (JP): An elementary school principal in the remote
Bengkalis island, Riau, amused himself by ordering "nasty
students" to run around a soccer field stark naked.

The unusual punishment has angered the students' parents who
demanded last week that the education ministry sack or remove him
for humiliating their children.

Antara reported yesterday that the incident happened late last
month when the principal of state-run SD 019 Lubuk Gaung made six
pupils strip off and run around the school's field for coming
late and making noises during classes.

Only four of them complied with the headmaster's order. They
ran naked to the amusement of headmaster, teachers and students
who were out to jeer and boo the "naughty boys".

The two pupils who refused to strip off had their ears pulled
and squeezed, the report said.

Bengkalis education and culture office chief Hanafiah said 84
parents, who considered the punishment "cruel and uneducative"
came to his office and filed a complaint.

"I deeply regret the principal's act and am thinking of
appropriate punitive action that may be taken against him," he
said.

The parents told Hanafiah that the six students were so
embarrassed they refused to return to school. (pan)