After Student's Suicide in Osaka

A second-year student at Sakuranomiya High School in the city of Osaka recently committed suicide, leaving behind a letter saying that he had been physically punished by a male teacher supervising his basketball club.

The student had reportedly suffered repeated physical punishment at the hands of the teacher, including being slapped in the face.


Although the teacher was acting in the name of sports discipline, violent corporal punishment is a form of abuse, and it must not be permitted.






After the suicide incident, Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto suggested suspending entrance exams for a physical education course and a sports & health science course.


The Osaka Municipal Board of Education has accepted the proposal and decided to increase the number of general course students.

Some of Sakuranomiya high school students gathered the municipal office yesterday to reverse the decision, but I can't understand their insistence.


It's a problem just for test takers and their parents.


If the students are proud of the sports courses and take such violence for granted, I strongly agree with Hashimoto's idea, which based on the reform of Sakuranomiya High School's existent system.


And this series of events have questioned the true meaning of club activities in school life.