A horrifying incident shocked an entire nation last Monday (March 17) when a 14-year-old boy violently attacked his teacher with a broom, fracturing her skull.
The incident, which occurred at the Bicentennial School of Excellence in Trehuaco, Ñuble, Chile, has left the teacher in critical condition and the community in disbelief.
Complicating matters is the fact that the boy was confirmed to be on the autism spectrum, a condition that was reportedly instrumental in his violent outburst.
Shortly after the incident, the student’s mother came forward to defend her son, claiming he reacted after weeks of mistreatment by the teacher, and that she should’ve been aware of his limits as someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
A 14-year-old student with ASD brutally attacked his math teacher, breaking her skull with a broomstick, after she allegedly mistreated him
Image credits: Ministerio de Educación
The math teacher, identified as Elena Cano Ramírez, was immediately transported to a nearby hospital. However, due to the gravity and extent of her injuries, she had to be transferred to a medical facility in Concepción, a larger city with better-equipped facilities.
While Cano is reportedly conscious and without immediate signs of neurological damage, her condition has been described as “critical.” Her head was fractured due to the boy repeatedly hitting her with a broomstick, which itself shattered due to the force of the impact.
Citing concerns for the safety and well-being of students and staff, the school promptly suspended classes on the day of the incident, labeling it an “unexpected emergency situation.”
Image credits: Freepik
In a controversial interview with local media, the boy’s mother explained that her son’s actions were a result of his diagnosis as someone with ASD and said that he had been under “extreme emotional stress” due to previous interactions with the teacher.
“A few weeks ago, my son told me he didn’t have his math notebook and wasn’t able to write in class,” she said. “The teacher told him, ‘If you don’t write, you’re useless to me,’ and that devastated him. My son cannot be spoken to like that—he understands things differently.”
Investigations are underway to determine who’s responsible, as the student’s condition protects him from being prosecuted
Image credits: CHV Noticias
In a similar interview, the boy’s father, identified as Israel Acuña Cartes, supported the mother’s version of events, arguing that his son had lashed out due to the teacher’s being particularly insensitive towards his condition.
“She told him that he was ‘useless’ because he had difficulties writing,” the father recounted. “My son is autistic; he’s not a criminal. He has difficulties understanding certain situations.”
Image credits: gpointstudio / Freepik
For the family, the responsibility lies with the government, as they allege their son hasn’t received the necessary support to manage his condition adequately. They argue the school does not have teachers sufficiently trained to properly manage and understand students with ASD.
The school, on the other hand, is calling for a review of Chile’s legislation surrounding the discrimination and acceptance of students with ASD.
The case has been labeled “historic” by experts, who believe it exposed flaws in the country’s legal and educational systems
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“The law forbids educational establishments from applying disciplinary measures to students for actions arising from the expression of their condition,” Chilean criminal lawyer Rodrigo Danyau explained to Bored Panda.
“Instead, it asks each school to have a preventive support plan in place to deal with special needs students.”
The legislation also forbids educational establishments from “negating access” to said students due to their condition, as it constitutes grounds for arbitrary discrimination.
Image credits: liceo_trehuaco_oficial
“This is a historic case that is going to be talked about for a long time, as it deals with the concept of criminal liability,” Danyau added. “As a 14-year-old, the boy could be charged with a crime, but his condition means other entities, such as the school or the state itself, could be compromised as well.”
“Ultimately, the case revealed a ‘flaw’ in Chile’s educational and legal system.”
Iván Hinojosa, the husband of the assaulted teacher, broke his silence, expressing his profound grief and impotence after the brutal attack
Image credits: liceo_trehuaco_oficial
“He tried to take her life,” he said in an interview with a local outlet, describing the incident in detail.
“The boy approached her without prior notice and attacked her with a broomstick,” he said, revealing a chilling detail previously unknown. “He didn’t stop when the broomstick broke; instead, he tried to stab her in the stomach.”
According to the husband, the attack went beyond an intention to injure, describing it as an “attempted homicide.”
Image credits: Giulia Squillace / Unsplash
Ñuble’s Regional Secretary (SEREMI), César Riquelme, confirmed that an investigation is taking place to determine the legal responsibility of the incident, explaining that it ultimately comes down to establishing whether the attack was the result of the 14-year-old’s condition or an unrelated aspect of his psyche.
“Even if they have ASD, they are not exempt from disciplinary responsibility because not all of their reactions are related to ASD,” Riquelme said.
“Terrible.” While some are calling for empathy, many believe that a line has been crossed
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