The Yomiuri Shimbun
A 20-year-old university student killed herself by
jumping from a bridge into a river in Midori, Gunma Prefecture, in
January after an associate professor told her she would have to
repeat a year of school, according to the Takasaki City University
of Economics.
The university fired the 38-year-old male economics professor that
same day, claiming his demand for the student to repeat a year was
unreasonable and lacked educational consideration.
According to the university, the student was supposed to join the
professor's seminar in September 2006 but voluntarily chose to
start it earlier in June. The professor reportedly gave assignments
to his students in August. In December, he sent an e-mail to three
students, including the female student, who had not submitted the
assignments, saying that if they did not submit them by Jan. 15,
they would be required to repeat a year.
(Apr. 11, 2007)