NONTHABURI — A babysitter accused of shoving and slapping children at least 29 times in a classroom filed a police complaint Monday against parents of her alleged victims for attacking her during a recent school meeting.
Ornuma “Khu Jum” Plodprong lodged her complaint Sunday against Chanwit Noisukying and his wife, accusing them of slapping her at a meeting on Sept. 25, when parents demand answers over the viral videos of Ornuma mistreating multiple kindergarten pupils at Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School.
Ornuma’s lawyer Decha Kittivittayanan, said on a Facebook Live Monday that his client decided to take legal action against the parents because they resort to physical violence against her.
Read: Sarasas Teachers Caught Using Trash Bag to Bully 2-Yr-Old Girl
“The parents have no right to do that,” Decha said. “No one has the right to assault anyone. If Ornuma was sued by parents for assaulting children, the parents who assaulted her must be sued as well.”
Decha, who was also hired to represent the school, added that some of the accusations made by the parents were exaggerated, and said more legal action will be taken against those falsehoods.
“Although I haven’t seen all the evidence, I saw many of the accusations were distorted. We will take action against those false claims,” the lawyer said.
Tension ran high at the meeting on Sept. 25, when parents stormed the school to demand explanation from school directors over the violence on their children. Chanwit and his wife at one point slapped Ornuma in a fit of rage, media reports say.
Speaking to reporters Sunday, Ornuma said she apologized for her actions against the students, but asked for sympathy because she was “stressed out.” She was fired from her job after videos of the incidents surfaced.
“I admitted that I assaulted the child because I was stressed out,” the former babysitter said. “I felt remorseful. I’d like to say sorry to everyone. I’d like the case to proceed accordingly and I admitted my guilt.”
She added, “My mental state isn’t OK and I haven’t talked to any of the parents so far.”
Ornuma is one of the four people charged for a series of violence and bullying at Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School. Nonthaburi provincial police commander Paisarn Wongwatcharamongkol said investigators recorded 58 instances of assault against 13 students as of Monday.
Police said Ornuma was responsible for 29 out of those 58 cases.
Maj. Gen. Paisarn said up to thirteen education workers were suspected of assaulting their pupils or aiding the mistreatment at the school, though only four people were charged so far on counts of physical assault and violation of children’s rights.
Police also said Teacher’s Council had filed charges against the school management for hiring employees without teaching license. The school directors were summoned to hear charges on Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Paisarn said.
Related stories:
Violence On Pupils Reported at Another Sarasas School
Kindergarten Violence Scandal: Director Says Parents Just Want Money
Police Charge Filipino Teacher Caught Mistreating Pupils
Thai, Foreign ‘Teachers’ Accused of Assaulting Kindergarteners
