A municipal school teacher who reported students for putting a glass slide in her glass of water said she will need psychological counseling to overcome what happened. The incident took place this week in São José dos Campos, in the interior of São Paulo.
In a statement, educator Michele Ramos revealed to the press that she does not know when overcoming will come and that she will need professional help.
“I don’t know when this will pass. I’ll need psychological help, for sure,” he declared.
The blade found by the teacher in her glass was displayed last Thursday (2). This type of object is commonly used in educational environments, especially in science classes, for observations under microscopes.
Still in her statement, Michele mentioned having received support from Escola Municipal Prof.ª Ildete Mendonça Barbosa, located in the Parque Residencial União neighborhood.
“Regarding the school, I received support at the moment, they are informing me, providing necessary information, they made the referrals that are the responsibility of the school”, he added.
Details of the incident that led to the suspension of students
Three students were suspended after being identified as involved in placing the glass slide in the teacher’s glass at a municipal educational institution in São José dos Campos (SP). Two of these students will be transferred schools, as requested by their parents.
According to the report of teacher Michele Ramos, the episode occurred during a Science class with an 8th grade class.
The Department of Education reported that the suspended students include the one who inserted the blade into the cup, the one who filled the container with water and handed it to the teacher, and a third student who, according to the ministry’s investigations, was aware of what happened.
The secretariat also announced that the case remains under investigation and that other possible disciplinary measures are being analyzed.
The teacher filed a police report about the incident on Wednesday (1st). The Civil Police initially classified the case as attempted bodily harm, and forwarded it to the São José dos Campos Children and Youth Police Station, responsible for the investigation as it involved teenagers.
“Our students, they are actually already suffering the measures provided for in legislation. We are treating it as an infraction, we sent it to the Guardianship Council, to the police station, the parents were informed. But the teacher was also duly welcomed by the management team, and it is obvious that now she will have psychological support. Other support that the network can offer, we will be offering and monitoring”, assured the Secretary of Education and Citizenship of São José dos Campos, Ruth Zorneta.
In an official statement, the Department of Education reiterated that it is monitoring the development of the case and that students and their families are receiving assistance from the school team.
How teacher Michele Ramos noticed the trap
In a statement given, teacher Michele Ramos said that she had left an empty glass on her desk during a science class for the 8th grade. While she was unaware, one of the students introduced a glass slide, a material commonly used in microscope analysis, into the container.
Shortly afterwards, the teacher asked another student for water, who promptly filled the glass and handed it over. However, before drinking, the teacher noticed an unusual agitation among the students.
“After he came back with the water, I noticed that everyone was a little agitated. So I asked what was in the glass and the people didn’t talk. The girls didn’t talk. ‘Teacher, if I were you I wouldn’t drink it’. But I felt some complicity. Or maybe something would happen if someone talked. Then someone said: ‘It was a glass'”, he detailed.
The teacher never drank the water. According to the city hall, she received immediate care from the school team and was taken to medical care. This incident highlights the growing concern about the mental health of teachers, given that in the city of São José dos Campos itself, education professionals lead the way in absences due to issues related to psychological health, highlighting the importance of comprehensive support for the category.
