Huy schools in anti-violence protest

20 October 2004

BRUSSELS – Children in Belgium’s Huy area staged a short strike on Wednesday in protest at a violent attack on a headmaster by a pupil’s parent.

Pupils at schools downed their pencils and their books between 9.30 and 10am to protest about the incident.

On Monday, a headmaster of a Huy school was punched, pushed and dragged across the ground by the parent of a boy he had disciplined for violent behaviour.

The father turned aggressive when he demanded the right papers to transfer his son to another school. He also pushed a school secretary in the incident.

He was arrested and has since appeared before the public prosecutor.

A local education officer is now in contact with both parents, who claim their son is the victim of violence because he was disciplined.

The head teacher has been granted two weeks sick leave.

Subject: Belgian news