A Chinese school principal has sparked controversy on social media after paying a visit to a student's home. The incident unfolded when the boy, who had taken the morning off due to illness, was found by the principal, surnamed Li, playing outside. The principal, who heads a school in Hainan province, expressed concern for the child's absence and decided to visit the family. Upon reaching their residence, she became upset and raised her voice while speaking to the boy's mother. This incident has left social media users in the country divided, according to the South China Morning Post.
"My son does not feel well, don't you understand? Is it wrong to take half a day off school?" the boy's mother told the principal in a video shared on social media.
"Yes. In his condition, he should go to school," the principal replied.
The mother of the boy was perplexed by the principal's actions, considering that her son had fainted at school the day before. A teacher had contacted her, requesting that she come to pick him up.
The mother conveyed to the principal that her son had experienced dizziness the night before. However, the principal remained adamant, asserting that an official sick leave required a medical certificate.
"He still felt dizzy last night and I had already said he would be off sick," the mother said.
"Taking sick leave requires a medical certificate. If he has any problems at school, our teachers will look after him," the principal responded.
The principal shifted the conversation's focus and inquired of the boy's mother whether she envisioned her child pursuing a career as a farmer.
The principal shifted the conversation's focus and inquired of the boy's mother whether she envisioned her child pursuing a career as a farmer.
The video soon went viral on the internet and received mixed reactions from social media users in China.
A user wrote, "Li must be a responsible principal. Not only does she make time to visit the pupil's home, she also tries hard to convince the mother."
"The principal's attitude is very rude," another user commented.
"The mother is right," the third user wrote.
"They are so lucky to have such a responsible principal," the fourth user commented.
