A TEENAGE girl is in hospital with serious injuries, after she jumped off a moving school bus after a heated quarrel with a young male teacher in Pingshan New Zone at noon Friday.
The teenager, identified as Xiaowan, 15, who received brain, chest and hip injuries, was in a coma and her condition could worsen at any time, doctors at Pingshan People s Hospital said.
The teacher has been in police custody for further investigation, police said.
The girl was on the school bus on her way to Pingshan Peiying School, a private school where she was studying, when the incident happened, a Shenzhen Evening News report said yesterday.
A schoolmate said the girl was agitated after the teacher criticized her for speaking too loud and told her to keep her voice down. She then quarreled with the teacher and this escalated into a physical clash.
Witnesses said Xiaowan angrily cursed the teacher, who was also angry and kicked her in the stomach first.
The fight lasted minutes before Xiaowan suddenly went to the rear of the bus and jumped out the window. The bus did not slow down, witnesses said.
The girl, a native of Hubei Province, came to Shenzhen last September, her mother said.
I was preparing to send her back to my hometown for the next school year, the tearful woman said.
Jiang Caijin, the school headmaster, admitted that the teacher, a fresh university graduate, had previously been violent toward the girl.
We will not cover for him [the teacher], Jiang said. We will cover all medical expenses for Xiaowan and we sent three teachers to be with her at the hospital.
He said both the teacher and the girl should bear responsibility for the tragedy.
Hong Zhiguang, a psychological consultant, warned teachers and students against verbal violence, which he said was sometimes more dangerous than physical violence. (Mu Zi)
