Hainan student loses hearing after being slapped in the face by 3 teachers

A middle school student in Hainan Province was slapped in the face seven times by three teachers and his left ear lost hearing as a result. But the school insisted that the boy's deafness was hereditary and refused to compensate.

Wang Fali, the dean of Decai School in Ding'an County, told Xinhua news agency that the student, Xiao Ming, was bullying another boy during a sports class on September 19. After the boy reported this to the teachers, three of them went to discipline Xiao Ming and slapped him in turn.

Wang said the three teachers had apologized to Xiao Ming but the boy's deafness was genetic because he didn't lose hearing suddenly on that day.

However, a medical examination at the Hainan Provincial People's Hospital showed that Xiao Ming's deafness was not congenital, Xinhua said.

"We have talked to Wang and showed him the medical report, but he only agreed to pay a few thousand yuan for the damage, which is far from enough for further treatment," said the boy's father Mo Shaoquan. "I didn't accept that sum and he now refuses to take my call."

Ding'an County Education Bureau Director Wu Changjiao said the bureau had ordered the school to settle the issue properly. Local police are also involved in the investigation.