A teacher at CETMAR 32 in the municipality of Empalme, Sonora, Mexico, was recorded while allegedly stealing money from the backpacks and wallets of his students during recess.
The video began circulating on social media and quickly generated outrage among students, parents, and internet users.
The images show the teacher walking around the classroom while the students were not present. According to the students, the teacher took advantage of the situation to search backpacks and take money.
Students held a protest at the school
After the case went viral, several students organized a demonstration inside the school to demand investigations and sanctions against the accused teacher.
The students placed banners and messages at the entrance of the institution to express their rejection of what happened.
“The students’ trust is not for sale. Taking money from them is not education, it’s a betrayal of your vocation. It’s time to put a stop to it,” one of the signs read.
The protest drew the attention of parents and residents of the area, who asked the educational authorities to act quickly.
Director confirms investigation
Refugio Samaniego, director of CETMAR 32, confirmed that the case is already under investigation following the complaints made by the students.
“The event as seen in the video did happen. We immediately listened to the students, watched the video , and subsequently informed the state coordination office to receive legal advice,” he explained.
Furthermore, he noted that the administration attended to the affected students and parents to follow up on each complaint related to the alleged theft.
The teacher’s identity is being kept confidential.
So far, the Ministry of Education and Culture (SEC) and the General Directorate of Agricultural Technological Education and Marine Sciences (DGETAyCM) have not issued an official statement on the case.
Educational authorities also did not reveal the teacher’s identity while the investigation continues.
However, the director assured that the institution maintains a “zero corruption” policy and promised transparency during the process to determine responsibilities and calculate how much money would have been stolen from the students.
