CHINA: A teacher at a vocational school in northern China has been suspended after her private online conversations with a male student were inadvertently displayed to her class.
The incident, which has sparked a wave of public attention and debate, took place at a school in Qinyuan County, Shanxi Province.
Intimate conversation revealed
According to SCMP, Zhang, a married teacher with a daughter, was using her computer to teach when her WeChat chat history with a teenage student, aged between 15 and 18, was accidentally projected onto a screen in front of the class.
The conversation, which has since gone viral, revealed the nature of their romantic relationship.
In one exchange, the student, whose identity has not been disclosed, expressed concern over Zhang’s emotional state, asking, “Honey, why are you crying?”
Zhang responded by describing a domestic disagreement with her husband, mentioning that she felt neglected when he refused to wash her feet. Her frustration was evident as she confided in the student, saying, “What kind of man have I married?”
The student comforted her, saying, “Don’t ask him to do anything for you,” before revealing his own feelings: “Even though you are married, I don’t want to hear that you let him do anything for you… I will wash your feet next time when we live together. I will always love you.”
Exposed on WeChat
The conversation was inadvertently revealed when Zhang left her WeChat account open while using the computer connected to the classroom projector. The length of the affair remains unclear.
The school, upon learning of the incident, immediately suspended Zhang from her teaching position and launched an investigation.
A statement from the institution, issued on November 22, emphasized that they were treating the situation with the utmost seriousness.
The incident quickly gained traction on mainland Chinese social media, sparking heated discussions.
One user questioned, “How do the student’s parents feel about their child dating a married teacher?” while another commented on the issue of moral decline, stating, “This reflects the declining moral standards of society.”
This case follows a series of similar incidents, including a July investigation of a 50-year-old teacher in Anhui Province, who was accused of sending inappropriate messages to a female student.
As public scrutiny over teacher misconduct continues to grow, this latest case has reignited debates about boundaries between educators and students in China.
