A private school teacher in Antipolo City is now being investigated for child abuse and grave coercion after she forced 31 of her pupils at the Don Antonio de Zuzuarregui Sr. Memorial Academy to eat dust and dirt as punishment for their untidiness inside the classroom.

Charged before the Antipolo Prosecutor’s Office is second-grade teacher Melany Garin. In a four page complaint filed by one of the parents, Garin allegedly got upset that litter was everywhere in the classroom was dirty when she came on Oct. 22.

She asked who among the kids were littering, but they wouldn’t tell, so she asked them to sweep the floor and then asked the 31 pupils to form a line. She then allegedly took the dirt collected in a dustpan, and forced each student to eat the dirt and dustwhich caused some of the kids to vomit.

The dirt included pencil sharpenings, which might include lead powder.

Garin has been suspended for 30 days, and had reportedly apologized to the students and parents, saying she merely wanted to discipline them.

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