Gao Xiaopeng, a teacher in Beijing's Tongzhou district, has been fired for administering corporal punishment on 11 students in class, local authorities said.

Last Tuesday, Gao physically punished the third-graders in the district's Mingxing Elementary School for not finishing their homework.

"He slapped us first," one of the students said. "Then he used a paper fan and a broom to beat the students, and even shoved one of the student's head into the blackboard."

The incident was exposed when the parents of one student, who was too afraid to return to the private school, demanded the child account for his bruises.

Gao said he regretted his behavior and asked whether or not the children's parents would like to slap him as he pleaded for their forgiveness.

The school's leadership was also asked to apologize to the children and families over the incident.

Gao will pay the medical bills for the injuries he inflicted, Jia Dawei, a staff member of district's education commission, said.

In addition, the school will pay consolatory compensation to the families and eliminate such behavior among teachers, Jia added.

(China Daily October 14, 2008)