Teacher stood down for slapping student in gladiatorial ‘reenactment’

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A teacher has been stood down after slapping a student in what the school says was an historical reenactment of gladiatorial combat at Hamilton Boys’ High School.

A video circulating on TikTok depicts the teacher repeatedly slapping the student, but the school’s Associate Headmaster Nigel Hotham, told Stuff on Friday that the slap occurred during what he described as a historical “reenactment.”

“It was part of a lesson on the Colosseum and gladiator times that this suggestion was made they would work through one of the battle scenes in which their hands were tied together. I don’t think they actually tied their hands together… During that reenactment the boy was struck.”

Hotham said the school was taking the incident “seriously” and that the teacher involved had been removed from teaching duties until a solid version of events could be established.

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Hotham says that it appears the student is in a junior cohort at the school, and would therefore be no older than 15.

The teacher, who Hotham said, “does teach social studies” appears in the video to strike the student with an open hand over the head three times. On one occasion so hard the student stumbles out of frame.

Hotham says beyond the video, no others complaints have been lodged with the school.

Do you know more? Email jonah.franke@stuff.co.nz

Associate Headmaser Nigel Hotham says that the teacher involved has been removed from teaching duties until an investigation is complete,

Kerry Marshall/Getty Images

Associate Headmaser Nigel Hotham says that the teacher involved has been removed from teaching duties until an investigation is complete,

When asked if a physical “reenactment” of gladiatorial history was appropriate and whether another teaching approach could be used, Hotham said: “I’m sure he’s {the teacher} thinking about that now. Of course there is.”

It is unclear in the video whether the student was harmed by the repeated slaps.

In 2009, a Hawke’s Bay teacher was charged with assault after battering seven children with a chair and stationery.

The PPTA refused to comment.

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