(中央社記者王朝鈺基隆5日電) A child abuse case occurred at a kindergarten in Keelung City. Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang said today that Director of Education Hsu Yen-li was very distressed after the first parent meeting and immediately submitted her resignation. He respects Hsu's wishes and will adjust personnel as appropriate.
Hsieh posted on Facebook in the afternoon, saying he was very sad after watching the video, and tears fell as he watched. This is a very serious child abuse incident, and he immediately decided to accompany the parents as much as possible and provide assistance in all aspects, hoping to minimize the harm to the families.
Hsieh said that from the beginning, he has been holding meetings with parents twice a week. The parents of the injured child wanted the kindergarten to close, which he fully agreed with. However, there were other parents who suggested that the classes that appeared to be normal should not be changed too much to avoid affecting other students' learning environment.
Hsieh indicated that the city government therefore decided to adopt a two-stage punishment. On one hand, they will review all videos to ensure the legal completeness of the closure order. On the other hand, they will assist families that need to transfer schools completely, hoping to reduce the impact on children. According to administrative procedures, the second stage should be able to complete the meeting on the 7th, and on the 8th, the kindergarten's license revocation can be announced.
Hsieh said that some related personnel felt both self-blame and pressure during the process. He respects Hsu Yen-li's decision to resign. Deputy Director of Education Yang Yung-fen made inappropriate remarks at the first moment and was not cooperative enough with parents during the investigation. The city government is also reviewing this.
Hsieh said that what the city government should do now is to revoke the kindergarten's license, ban the criminal childcare workers from teaching for life, and publish their names according to law. The judicial pursuit can impose criminal penalties, including imprisonment, to seek justice for the children.
Hsieh said that he will hold the fifth city government-parent meeting tomorrow evening. He fully understands and empathizes with the parents' demands and views. He also informed Keelung City Police Chief Lin Hsin-hsiung that the government must be considerate of parents' feelings in the face of protests. He will continue to accompany the parents and help solve the problems. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150705
