Teacher under fire for pushup punishments

DERBY, England, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- England's largest teachers' union says the suspension of a teacher who punished late-arriving pupils by making them do pushups was an "overreaction."

The Derby Moor Community College secondary school teacher, who was not identified, was suspended by head teacher Wendy Whelan pending an inquiry, after it was disclosed that 11- and 12-year-old students who came late to his class were punished in a variety of ways -- including being forced to do pushups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, and to tell jokes in front of the class, The Mirror reported Friday.

The students helped the teacher compile the list of punishments and offenders were allowed to choose their punishment from the list, The Mirror said.

Ian Jennison of the National Union for Teachers said suspending the instructor was an "overreaction."

"The school is going to come out of all this looking foolish," he said.

One parent, who requested anonymity, agreed with Jennison, saying the children in the class did not feel the punishments were inappropriate.

"It's ridiculous. The kids thought it was fun," the parent told The Mirror.