‘I was dragged by the hair, slapped in face, punched’
The bracelet charm belonging to the woman which teacher Nadine Piscopo found stuck in her dishevelled hair.
The teacher who was attacked by a parent at school last week is irked by what she claims to be a tamer version of events that emerged in court.
A teacher for the past three years, Nadine Piscopo, 26, said she was dragged by the hair along the corridor, slapped in the face, punched in the tummy and pushed to the ground.
“It was a humiliating experience,” the English teacher at St Ignatius secondary boys’ school in Tal-Ħandaq said.
Ms Piscopo said the attack was so vicious she even found a bracelet charm belonging to the woman stuck in her dishevelled hair.
“The police told me to bring the charm to court as evidence but I never got the chance to speak, let alone show the charm in court,” she added.
Her attacker, Rosarita Galea, 36, from Siġġiewi, was charged in court a day after the incident occurred. Ms Galea admitted to slightly injuring Ms Piscopo by pulling her hair. She was conditionally discharged for two years.
But the teacher is flabbergasted by the allegation made in court that she pulled her student’s hair, an incident that is supposed to have provoked the woman.
Ms Piscopo completely denies ever pulling anybody’s hair.
She explains that a day before the incident the woman’s teenage son was misbehaving in class and at one point he became physically aggressive towards another student.
“I couldn’t allow this and I started shouting into the boy’s face, telling him to bring his mother because I wanted to speak to her about his behaviour. The boy was later spoken to by the assistant head,” she said.
The next day, while Ms Piscopo was teaching another class, a woman suddenly appeared at the door. She asked her whether she was Ms Piscopo.
At that point the woman started shouting rudely in her face, asking her what she had done to her son. Ms Piscopo asked her to move outside the classroom where shocked students looked on in disbelief.
“As she dragged me by my hair she called me names and threatened that this would not be the last time. She even said her husband would come to the school,” she recalled.
The woman’s husband did in fact turn up at school some time later but it was to apologise for his wife’s actions.
Ms Piscopo said that at no point did she retaliate. “I don’t believe in violence. I am a vegan and a pacifist by nature.”
Teachers came out of their classrooms after hearing the commotion in the corridor and pulled the woman off her. Badly shaken, Ms Piscopo said she felt let down by the school administration. She added that the assistant head even tried to convince her not to report the case to police.
“I got a lot of support from the teachers. But anybody who passes through such an experience at her place of work expects the boss to show some concern. I don’t know who my boss is, whether the headmaster or the education division, but I expected some support from them.”
On Friday Ms Piscopo returned to work and recalled having to calm down her teenage students, who were up in arms over the incident. She never had a lesson conducted in such silence.
“I think they were still shocked by what they saw,” she said.
Ms Piscopo holds no grudge towards the woman’s son. “I pity the boy because it is the mother who caused all this. But I will avoid having direct contact with him for the time being. It is better this way for him and for me.”
In its decree the court said the woman must not approach Ms Piscopo but would be allowed to go to school and attend parents’ day.
However, the Malta Union of Teachers ordered teachers at the school not to communicate with the mother and refuse to attend any meetings with her.
The woman’s lawyer, Edward Gatt, insisted his client admitted to all charges, cooperated with the police and even apologised in court for what she had done.
He said the charges reflected the medical report that spoke of slight injuries. “My client was treated more severely than people who are accused with similar charges. Normally, people charged this way are not taken to court under arrest.”
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Eric Sammut
Nov 28th 2012, 04:12
Living in Malta has become unbearable. Thank God I left the Rock!
John Azzopoardi
Nov 28th 2012, 19:45
Oh Please grow up. Wherever you are, you will always encounter problems and crimes. Stop being so dramatic. However, Malta does have more crime than its share for a country of 400,000 people. People have become more lawless in the past 10 years. Whey people see other people breaking the law and get away with it, they do the same. Sad. We need a tougher justice system.
Victor Pace
Nov 27th 2012, 22:18
Violence on public servants should carry a mandatory jail sentence, the only acceptable exception being self-defence.
Vanessa Mifsud
Nov 27th 2012, 21:51
''The woman’s lawyer, Edward Gatt, insisted his client admitted to all charges, cooperated with the police and even apologised in court for what she had done''.. And that should make it any better? What kind of argument is that?
Pippo de Marco
Nov 27th 2012, 20:43
The attacker should also have been charged with possession of offensive jewellery.
Rocco Camilleri
Nov 27th 2012, 16:52
Ghax ma'jehdhux ftit 'Feedback' minn ghand shabu uTeachers fuq dan it-tifel biex jaraw x'imgieba ghandu.L-omm naqset bil-kbir u se'jiddispjacija ghal ghomora xi hsara ghamlitlu lit-tifel u x'ezempju hazin tghat-lit-tfal l-ohra ta'l-iskola.Nisperaw li ma'jigriex bhal ma' naf kaz,fejn tifel wara li kiber spicca l-habs u meta marret tarah ommu qalla tigiex izjed ghax jien qieghed hawn minhabba fik.
Gunther Waldhar
Nov 27th 2012, 21:50
That my dear, is a tale often told and repeated in various Teachers' Staff Rooms around the islands, unfortunately.
Rocco Camilleri
Nov 27th 2012, 16:43
X'differenza minn meta konna nitrabbew ahna!Niftakar lil genituri l-ewwel ma'kienu jistaqsuna, x'ghamiltu u wisq probabbli naqilu daqtejn ohra, mela jmorru jahbtu ghat-Teacher jew surmast ta'l-iskola.B'hekk tlajna dixxipplinnati,mhux bhal llum ituhom kollox u aktar iva milli le jzommu mat-tfal.Jinsew li l-ghalliema huma t-tieni genitur tat-tfal! Issa din l-omm nghidilha min tahsebli se jbghati ?
JJ Abram
Nov 27th 2012, 16:42
For the life of me I can't understand how no one is making a fuss about this!! We study hard and get a university degree only to be beaten up by parents then and NO ONE makes a statement or makes a stand. MUT's directive is a start but no where near enough. This was a PRE-MEDITATED attack on a teacher. PRE-MEDITATED. That means that this woman had every intention of hurting the teacher.
Kieron O'connor
Nov 27th 2012, 16:38
She wont scream in a childs face again.
Shocking that a "teacher" would behave in such a manner and think it was appropriate to communicate with any child like that.
It doesnt excuse the response from the parent, but if your going to behave like a cave woman, be prepared to meet the woman in the next cave.
JJ Abram
Nov 27th 2012, 16:46
No I suppose she should have asked nicely and hoped that the boy stopped before seriously injuring the other boy. Be realistic. When the ball is always in the student's playing field, you're left with nothing. I bet that had this boy seriously hurt the other boy, the teacher would already be in prison right now. This new breed of student has no respect for authority.
Robert Cassar
Nov 27th 2012, 17:09
First and foremost do you know what this student was doing to the other kid? Secondly why don't you pop in for a visit at this particular school and observe some of those students in action...including the one in question.. !!! I can assure that you will enjoy yourself !!!
Moreover, you will also realize how insensible your comment was and who is the true cave wom/an in this situation.
Grace Agius
Nov 27th 2012, 20:00
How should a teacher stop bullying in class Mr O'connor? She didn't scream she shouted! Do you think students who are fighting would listen to a soft spoken teacher? Visit a classroom and you will know! The teacher has to shout to be heard above the din and PERHAPS listened to! Nowadays the teacher can't do anything to discipline the children! Not even shout? How are the children going to learn?
D Portelli
Nov 27th 2012, 14:46
How the case started, I have no clue but I always believed that violence, screaming never settles anything. I hate people that scream and acts in an arrognat way. I hope the teacher is right and that she didn't sreamed more than the necessary, but here the parent is to blame. She was wrong and if she thinks that she can educate her kids in this way, she is doing the wrong thing again.
Grace Agius
Nov 27th 2012, 19:52
It seems that you have NO IDEA of the classroom situation and of a rowdy class!Try to go for one day & you will have GOOD IDEA & then you will SURELY change your mind!The teacher never mentioned the word "scream". There's a difference between a scream and shout.From my experience I know that when children are lost in fighting, it's useless trying to stop them in a sweet and nice way!It won't work
Mr J Xerri
Nov 27th 2012, 13:58
Was this a case where the police in their haste to take this parent to court because of the publicity given to the case , rushed matters forgetting all about witnesses, especially the star witness , the teacher involved which allegedly resulted in the Court being given a twisted version of what happened? And what would have happened had the parent pleaded not guilty?
Joe Cordina
Nov 27th 2012, 14:51
No if an accused pleads guilty, the court may choose not to hear any witnesses. Howver the prosecution could have insisted for the victom to be heard. Alas we do not know whether this was requested
Joe Spiteri
Nov 27th 2012, 13:43
Uhud mill-genituri, sfortunatament, jemmnu kollox li jghidulhom uliedhom, donnhom ghandhom xi angli ; minflok ma' jmorru jitkellmu u jaraw sew x'ikun qieghed jigri. Nahseb li l-problema hija li xi genituri ma' jafux sew kif ghandhom irabbu l-uliedhom. Min jaf dan l-istudent kemm hassu kburi li l-mama zammet mieghu u marret ' taghti lezzjoni' lit-teacher!
Justin Borg Saywell
Nov 27th 2012, 13:38
How did the parent know in which classroom to find the teacher? Someone must have told her. Enraged parents (and even calm ones) should be stopped at the foyer and talk to staff from the administration - NEVER should they proceed to a classroom.
Dorielle Soler
Nov 27th 2012, 13:23
I am not a vegan and only a pacifist when dealing with the civilised - I think a teacher, these days, needs to have a healthy sense of jekk saqsejt ghaliha issa hudha. Besides, it gives an excellent example to students that, when needlessly attacked, it is fine to defend yourself - strenously if need be.
John Azzopoardi
Nov 27th 2012, 13:13
IO truly believe this teacher. The woman who did this to her should be in JAIL. Period. I said this from the beginning. THere is small number of maltese parents who are very very uncivilized and no one is addressing the issue. There should be big protest on this by the MUT. Otherwise their lives are in jeopardy by some sick parent.
Evarist Saliba
Nov 27th 2012, 12:59
This system whereby a person pleads guilty so that the extent of the crime does not fully emerge, has nothing to do with justice. Judges, magistrates, prosecutors, defence lawyers and other officials should have nothing to do with it.
It is unacceptable that victims of crime are not given a chance to be heard.
D Hamlet
Nov 27th 2012, 12:54
I sympathise with the teacher and I fully understand her by saying that she is a vegan and pacifist
BUT
I would not have let anyone treated me that way. Defending yourself, and with a whole class as witness, has nothing to do with being a pacifist.
Grace Agius
Nov 27th 2012, 19:41
Two wrongs never make a right. Hats off to the teacher who acted in a most noble way. To defend herself against such a vicious attack the teacher would have had to be vicious herself. Don't think it would have been a good example to the students. The school is a better place with such teachers as Nadine! The teacher has all my support!
Eve Axiaq
Nov 27th 2012, 12:49
L-omm tat ezempju mil-aqwa lil binha. Ta lanqas hi hekk tahseb jahasra! M'ghandhix idea fl'liema sitwazzjoni mbarazzanti poggietu lit tifel taghha.
Ronnie Callus
Nov 27th 2012, 12:47
Jekkdak kollu li qed tghid l-Ghalliema ma'nistax nifhem kif l-Assistant Head flok ghamel rapport lill Kap ta' l-iskola u ghajtu l-pulizija,donnu ma'sarx hekk.Dawn kellhom jghamlurapport formali lid-Dipartiment ta'xgara kif ukoll injury report on duty sa'fejn naf jien.Il-Kap u l-Assistant Heads suppost qedienhemm biex jghatu sapport lil ghalliema ulit-tfal.Genituri bhal dawn mhemmx posthom fli skej
Jason Vella Tabone
Nov 27th 2012, 12:46
Name and shame the assistant head of the school.................
For this yound teacher to go through this is bad enough.....but being told by your assistant head not to report this to the police....i can only try to imagine how this teacher must have felt.
Are any steps being taken against the assistant head .....?
alfred seguna
Nov 27th 2012, 12:37
How could a judge decide without hearing both versions?I think that for the sake of justice this case must be reviewed.The victim of aggression while in the course of her duty was physically attacked and was never given the chance to give her side of the story.HOW could this be!!!The aggressor had all the time to be heard by the judge and the victim was nowhere to be seen let alone heard.
Joe Sultana
Nov 27th 2012, 11:59
I was a teacher for many years and I can honestly say that my superiors ( heads, assistant heads) were mostly very supportive. Now times have changed, drastically, for the worse. I do wish my two daughters have chosen another career, they would be appreciated and better paid. Like all other teachers they are on the "front line" witrh mostly no back up. Shame on the Education department.
Pauline Busuttil
Nov 27th 2012, 12:33
Sew qed tghid sur Sultana, illum il-gurnata il-heads, assistant heads u d-Dipartiment tal-Edukazjoni ma jaghmlu xejn meta jinqala xi kaz bhal tal-gimgha l-ohra. Hawn kulleggi li t-teachers ihossuhom bullying mill heads taghhom. Dan mhux sew u d-dipartiment tal-Edukazzjoni ahjar jisma lit-teachers mhux mohhu biss biex jidher li qed jibni u jarma skejjel godda.
Mr andrew xuereb
Nov 27th 2012, 13:18
Veru verissmu li qieghed tghid Joe ghax illum ma baqax genituri tajbin l-aqwa li it tifel jew tifla tkun superjuri fuq l-ghalliema taghha. Ma tridx tisma li jghidu t-tfal ghax igibuk fl-inkwiet. U t-teacher billi twissi ftit x'se jkun gara? mhux ghalhekk imorru l-iskola biex ikunu edukati. Imma illum inqaleb kollox bil kontra li konna qabel. Misshom jisthu l-education ma jissaportjawx it teachers.
Etienne Galea
Nov 27th 2012, 11:55
U nahseb ma wehlitx >>>EUR60<<< ghax ma kienx hemm bizzejjed vjolenza hux...........!
gil falzon
Nov 27th 2012, 11:55
The more you study these cases of physical harm in Malta the more you realise that the state basically sanctions violence. Ridiculously low fines like €25 are given. I can think of a few situations where one might be willing to pay thousands for the pleasure of punching someone. Does physical assault have a price? In Malta it is either free or will set you back a tenner. Assault away...
Kevin Muller
Nov 27th 2012, 13:21
When it comes to justice, this country is scary ! Violence seems to be accepted as a part of daily life and the sentences are ridiculous ! What do offenders learn out of that ? I can beat up others as I like and get along with it without facing any consequences. If this sick attitude doesn't change, this islands will become a nightmare for peaceful citizens and the only option is to leave.
Silvio Abela
Nov 27th 2012, 11:52
Behind the nice modern facades of the new schools being built lies a turbulent life that many choose to ignore. What good do all the CCTV cameras and doors with electric locks are in these situations? Why this parent found the way through the school's reception and in a 2nd floor corridor is beyond me. The SMT should really revise their policy. They should be the first barrier for the staff.
Mark Anthony Caruana
Nov 27th 2012, 11:43
I think that the teacher should have been given some form of compensation...
compensation from the aggressor i mean!
I cannot understand how Ms. Galea walked out of the court just like that... she should have been at least fined!
Grech sandro
Nov 27th 2012, 12:08
well said ....not just a fine and not allowed to enter the school at any reason... his father seems to be a lot more civilised and can do the job just the same
Marlon Psaila
Nov 27th 2012, 11:40
What would have happend had the teacher attached teh parent? Would she have just managed to do with a 2 year suspended sentence? Has justice been made?
Jonathan Zammit Lapira
Nov 27th 2012, 11:39
Is-socjeta' li ghandna illum tirrifletti dan il-fsied zejjed lit-tfal taghna u l-bullying ezagerat li qed ikun hawn mas-saqajn f'kull sfera tal-hajja!!! Il-valuri tal-ubbidjenza u d-dixxiplina ilhom li spiccaw minn dal-pajjiz hekk imsejjah Kattoliku Kristjan.
Mr andrew xuereb
Nov 27th 2012, 13:20
Prosit.
Ronnie Callus
Nov 27th 2012, 17:30
Drittijiet iva IMMA Dmirijiet xejn. Din hi s-socjeta ta'llum. Dan kollu hu ta' l-ezempji li nghataw. Il-pajjiz ilu sejjer lura u wasal fi stat tal-biki. Spiccaw is-sagrifficji u spicca kollox.
Marlon Psaila
Nov 27th 2012, 11:38
"The Malta Union of Teachers ordered teachers at the school not to communicate with the mother and refuse to attend any meetings with her." Is this the best method the MUT could use to protect its members?
Franco Abela
Nov 27th 2012, 11:38
HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO SCHOOLS
emmanuel scicluna
Nov 27th 2012, 11:30
What does bieng a vegan have to do with being a pcifist?
Kathy Elliot
Nov 27th 2012, 11:57
It's the philosophy, mainly. The ideal that pushes people to refuse to eat animals and their products is to avoid causing them harm, and try to increase awareness to the horrors of slaughterhouses. That is mainly a non-violent, and therefore pacifict agenda. That said, I am neither a vegan nor a vegetarian, and still do not condone any type of violence.
Joseph Aquilina
Nov 27th 2012, 11:27
The EDUCATION DIVISION should give this teacher all the legal aid she needs (if not even open a case against this parent) in order to give a clear example to all COWBOY parents out there that such actions WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. In the classroom the TEACHER is the one leader; and parents should teach their children to always obey their teachers!!
Kathy Elliot
Nov 27th 2012, 12:00
Word. The parents AND the children often don't listen to the teachers beceause they have little to no actual power backing them up. We have gone from a system of abuse where the teacher could cane the students at will in the 60s, to one where our educators are powerless against a class of 20+ children and their families. Extremes are never good.
Noel Navarro
Nov 27th 2012, 11:23
Veru kaz tal-misthija. Ms Piscopo keep up the good work, I fully sympathise with you.
Mr l Azzopardi
Nov 27th 2012, 11:13
What irks me the most is the Assistant Head trying to convince the assaulted teacher not to report the incident.
Prosit ghalik!
Pauline Busuttil
Nov 27th 2012, 12:37
dawn il kazi qed jigru u mhux qed jigu rappurtati. Il heads ma jkunux irridu u dan huwa fatt. Meta ma ssibx ukoll il Head li ghalkemm jaf li t-teacher ghandha ragun minflok jghati r-ragun lit-tifel ghax jibza li jigi missierhu jew ommhu l-iskola u jaghmel xi xenata. Dawn huma kazi vera u hadd ma jista jmerijhom. Ghad jigi zmien li mhux fil boghod li jkollna generazjoni vjolenti umbghad nindunaw
fred sammut
Nov 27th 2012, 11:12
din l ghalliema giet Umiljata u l Qorti kella tkun aktar iebsa!!! dan huwa BULLYING .
Paul Azzopardi
Nov 27th 2012, 10:59
Teachers in Malta are always (by the ignorant) envied by some, cause they have summer holidays but no one comments about them being some of the most underpaid very qualified teachers in EU, in Malta its very obvious they are undervalued and as this case clearly shows they are also defenceless and mistreated. Really, being a teacher is a calling cause it doesn't pay to be one !!!!!!
A. Borg
Nov 27th 2012, 10:51
Sue her Ms. Piscopo and she will learn her lesson.
Joe Gatt
Nov 27th 2012, 10:48
The message to school kids from this incident is:
'I am untouchable. If the teacher as much as talks to me, my parents will come and beat him/ her up. They will be quite justified in doing it. They would be taken to court and then be released'.
A precedent has been created.
The alternative would have been to punish the crime with a severity that leaves no doubt that it is not acceptable.
Kathy Elliot
Nov 27th 2012, 12:02
Times seriously needs a thumbs-up system. Yours should be a top-rated comment, because it speaks the plain truth.
Mr C Camilleri
Nov 27th 2012, 10:35
A teacher has been humiliated and physically hurt and this is what the rest of the Education System has to offer ??? Is this what the teaching profession is considered as ? Something expendable ?
Shame on all of you who are taking such a serious case of agressiveness so lightly.
paul camilleri
Nov 27th 2012, 10:34
this teacher can always sue her aggresser privatly also she can appeal the original case .
Kathy Elliot
Nov 27th 2012, 12:05
Of course; apart from the damage done to her morally and physically, the victim of the crime should also incur finantial and monetary losses in relation to a case that has been witnessed by many and occurred on government owned school premises. It's very good to know, on the other hand, that people can beat each other up with impunity.
E. Azzopardi
Nov 27th 2012, 10:25
It is all right being a pacifist and what not. But you cannot just let anybody drag you through the corridor by your hair!!
it seems that we teach our students all the subjects on earth but not facts of life.
Defending yourself from a moron does not make you violent. It is your duty to defend yourself.
Claire Busuttil
Nov 27th 2012, 10:21
If this mother actually made these things, she must have been prosecuted in a harsher manner.
The MUT is right to order the teachers not to have any contact with this woman.
Mr Tony Gatt
Nov 27th 2012, 10:15
"She added that the assistant head even tried to convince her not to report the case to police."
This is an abject case of people in senior positions forgetting that they have a 'duty of care' towards their staff. Anything for a quiet life, is their motto.
A. Zammit
Nov 27th 2012, 10:42
This person should be relieved from his duties as Asst. Head.
Mr Tony Gatt
Nov 27th 2012, 11:06
@ A. Zammit
Agree 100%.
Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Nov 27th 2012, 10:14
U mbaghad, Qorti ohra batet il-habs ragel ta' 75 sena li kixef l-ghawwar fil-qalba tal-gvern sew fit-tmeninijiet u issa. Pulcinellati li jbaxxuna lkoll. X'tghallem dat-tifel minn din l-istorja: li l-istituzzjonijiet mhumiex li suppost
Victor Zammit
Nov 27th 2012, 10:39
Mhux hekk biss - ma nistax nifhem kif il-maġistrat ma semgħax ix-xhieda ta' Piscopo. Jista' xi ħadd jisjega?
Joseph Aquilina
Nov 27th 2012, 10:07
The EDUCATION DIVISION should study this case and come with clear solutions since CLEARLY IN OUR SCHOOLS TEACHERS are becomes SCARED TO TEACH, SCARED TO EDUCATE!! because parents all the time side with their children even when these lie and exaggerate!!
Victor Borg
Nov 27th 2012, 10:06
If I was the teacher - and I also work as a teacher - I would refuse to accept the woman's boy in my class.
Paul Cassar
Nov 27th 2012, 10:02
IF THINGS really happened as the teacher is saying, and I have no reason to believe otherwise than SHAME
ON THE COURTS, THE POLICE ( here we have a person entering without permission in govt property and
attacking a civil servant in front of subordinates ) AND ON THE MUT FOR TAKING THE CASE SO LIGHTELY.
twanny borg
Nov 27th 2012, 10:25
Il-pulizija ghamlu dmirhom li jresqu din il-mara il-qorti. Sur cassar tista' tghid ghaliex skont int il-pulizija immishom jisthu?
gil falzon
Nov 27th 2012, 10:01
I chose not to become a teacher due to the changes in the rapport between teacher, student, parent.
God have pity on our future generations growing up without willing teachers due to the fact that parents do not know how to educate their children.
V. Cauchi
Nov 27th 2012, 10:00
Most countries are facing real problems with doting parents ruining their children. No wonder males staying at home for so long and the accompanying decrease in population and fall in fertility rate. Perhaps some NGO should address the problem of doting parents vociferously.
Joseph Zammit
Nov 27th 2012, 09:57
Well that small piece of evidence left in the teachers hair says it all. About the mother obviously!
Mr Andrei Azzopardi
Nov 27th 2012, 09:55
I condone this parent to the maximum. This parent puts us 'cooperative' parents in bad light. I go to my son's school nearly every day and I never in my mind thought of violence even when the worst happens. As parents we have to be an example to our children! I hate to say this but this violence is being reflected in the children which I see every day happening before my own eyes.
S. Zammit
Nov 27th 2012, 10:09
Perfectly agree, I am a parent as well, and sometimes Teachers are not all we expect, but never one should react this way. Parents days are there for one to discuss achievements as well as problems with the teacher. Also, how did this parent just get in the school? Isn't there any kind of security or maybe an office where one has to call to first? This is serious. Schools cannot be easily accessed!!
Mr Tony Gatt
Nov 27th 2012, 10:19
@ Mr. Azzoppardi
Surely you mean condemn? Condone means you agree with the parent's actions in pulling the teacher's hair.
pat muscat
Nov 27th 2012, 09:50
Teachers are representing the State; one just cannot go into a school grab teachers by their hair and apologize! The culprit should be punished severely for her atrocious actions. Ms Piscopo self esteem must be at the very low end; who is going to fix this up? I bet the children in the school where this fracas happened will now look down upon their teachers : this means discipline bye bye!
Luciano Chetcuti
Nov 27th 2012, 09:47
The attacker should have been fined for such behaviour besides the sentence given by the court. When shall discipline rule?
Joseph Camilleri
Nov 27th 2012, 09:46
Sigh this is just a beginning. The education system is crumbling and the lady director generals whilst sipping their tea, are ignoring this. They are too high up to hear the screams of below. They have been lured to copy a system which in uk has been scrapped. Now like arriva we are stuck with a system which does not work. Just look at the teachers! They are vexed frustrated and humiliated.
Carmel Grima
Nov 27th 2012, 09:45
The attacker should never have been left to enter the school in the first place. If the boy lied to his mother saying that the teacher pulled his hair then he has a lot to answer for.
Ing Carmel Grima
Mr Vella
Nov 27th 2012, 09:44
Ms. Piscopo,
although justice hasn't been what it's supposed to be, bear in mind you have everyone's support in this!
Paul Smith
Nov 27th 2012, 09:40
This story sums up so many failures in Malta. No School Security, no School CCTV Camera and a bad court system that lets someone who assaults a teacher off almost Scott Free, Grow two natural Cannabis plants and a Judge gives a guy 10 years Malta is a joke of a country
Pippo de Marco
Nov 27th 2012, 12:21
Sir, your comments may be accurate, in part, but please refrain from being gratuitously rude and insulting about this country which, despite its shortcomings, many of us love passionately.
Every country has its 'joke' elements, which are usually attributable to poor education, inept parenting, a lack of decency and civility. Evidence of such failings can often to be found in these blogs.
John Dee
Nov 27th 2012, 13:41
Pippo de Marco - Stating the blatant truth is hardly gratuitously rude or insulting. " poor education, inept parenting, a lack of decency and civility" is sadly an even more accurate reflection of the opinion many are beginning to see as endemic here - that does not stop us loving the country, but it saddens us to realise that many Maltese would rather allow it to continue than suffer criticism.
Pippo de Marco
Nov 27th 2012, 20:35
@ John Dee.
Just to clarify my remark ... I did not disagree with the substance of Paul Smith's comments, but I did take exception to the unnecessary 'joke of a country' slur, which, in the context of this debate was gratuitously insulting.
Lawrence Camilleri
Nov 27th 2012, 09:31
'He said the charges reflected the medical report that spoke of slight injuries.' Of course the victim teacher had no bones broken to make it serious injury. Shame on the defence, shame on the police for not producing witnesses when there were quite a few. Classes should never be so easily accessible at any time. MUT did well to issue directive to teachers. When mother attends they should leave.
Charles Vella
Nov 27th 2012, 09:29
Ms. Piscopo, the education system is a massive failure. this is the cherry on the cake when coming to security in our schools. You should open a case against the education department & teach them a lesson for not giving you the proper security at your place of work! The education department is too busy creating education officers of this and that, however have no time to provide basic security.
Daniel Vella
Nov 27th 2012, 09:21
What about security guards and cctv cameras in school corridors? Is it possible that it is so easy to get into a school and attack/vandalise/steal/abduct without any problem what so ever? This case brings to light the absolute unprofessional way our education system is administered at every level.
Anthony Thorne
Nov 27th 2012, 09:19
Prosit lill-Avukat....kemm jaf jiggustifika
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