

A primary school student in Hunan jumped to his death after falling out with his teacher over the layout of desks in his classroom.

According to NetEase, the incident took place yesterday a primary school in Loudi prefecture, Hunan province. A 12-year-old boy named Xiao Wu was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

As the students were getting ready to graduate, Wu was preparing to host the ceremony due to take place later that day. The previous day he had rearranged all the desks in the classroom so that they faced into the center of the room.



Wu had asked his parents to get ready his best clothes and went to school in high spirits, but later fell out with his teacher who found the new classroom arrangement to be inconvenient. His classmates were asked to return to their original positions.

As students began returning their desks, Wu sat stubbornly in his chair and began crying. Neighboring girls crowded round to comfort him as the teacher pressed on with the day’s lessons.



As 9 a.m. approached, without warning Wu slapped his desk and stormed out of the classroom. He climbed over a railing on the fourth floor of the building and jumped. Wu’s parents and classmates were shocked at his suicide, saying that he was an outgoing and cheerful boy.

Many netizens remarked that he had a heart made of glass and must have been emotionally fragile to commit suicide over such a trivial issue. Others speculated as to whether his parents or teachers at the school had failed to properly educate the child.

What to do if someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide:

– Do not leave the person alone

– Remove any sharp objects, alcohol, drugs or firearms that could be used in a suicide attempt

– Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional

– Call the following hotlines for help: Lifeline Shanghai: 021-6279-8990 (English speakers; 10am – 10pm daily); HopeLine: 4001619995 (Chinese speakers; 24/7 toll-free access)

[Editor’s note] This post has been updated to correct Henan province to Hunan province

By Amy Yang

[Images via NetEase]



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