'Cement-teacher' for the Court. Carl Arnauts pleads guilty but he hopes that they will understand him ...

Carl Arnauts who was a teacher in the school Buso-Mariadaal in Hoegaarden battered a student, a boy of only 14 in the classroom, in November last year. The incident was filmed by a classmate. Today, he appears for the Court. He pleads guilty but is asking for the suspension of the ruling. His lawyer says: "Until one day in November, he drove a perfect path". But do we know that for sure? After all Carl Arnauts is for the Court of Leuven because he severely mistreated the boy.

His lawyer says too:"He admitted his debt. But in contrast to what was claimed by certain media, there is nothing wrong with his legal history. The record is in general very positive. Many students say very good things about him. These testimonials are very important." Therefore the lawyers ask a suspension of judgment. When the Court says the facts are proved, but they don't do a ruling, the defendant maintains a clean criminal record.

The movie which was filmed by another student, showed how the 14-year-old student Jonathan B., a boy with behavioural problems, was maltreated by Carl Arnauts. The teacher held down the boy's head over a bucket of water with sand and mortar oil , he dragged him through the classroom by his clothing and then he kept him under the faucet. The movie went around the world and shocked a lot of people, including me.

Arnauts is accused of injuries. Because the boy is still a minor, his father is the civil party. He is calling for compensation because of the moral harm. The fact that he as a teacher had an authority over the pupil shall be regarded as an aggravating circumstance. Arnauts can have one year in prison and a fine. He self said two weeks after the event: "It was disgusting what I did." But I think his regret comes to late.

With Jonathan B. it's going good right now. A luck after all. He is going somewhere else to school because he personally was not possible to continue on Mariadaal. As teacher, Arnauts is still suspended until 31 October. It is unclear what will happen. Considering the opinion of the lawyers, the chances are very small that he still wants to work as a teacher. Perhaps it's better so I guess.