Teachers assaulted in this year’s 85th attack on educators

AMMAN — The 85th registered attack on teachers this year took place on Tuesday, when two educators at the Bilal Bin Rabah Primary School in Ruseifa were assaulted.

The teachers were attacked by a number of young people they could not identify, who raided the school and started throwing stones at them.

“Other teachers from the school managed to catch one of the assailants and called the police, who came and arrested him,” Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) Spokesperson Ayman Okour said.

He added that the JTA, when notified of the incident, immediately contacted the area’s education director to file a complaint against the attacker with the district governor.

The incident took place a week after the Cabinet approved amendments to the Penal Code that stiffen penalties against those who assault educators and medical personnel.

The amended law, which was referred to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau, stipulates no less than a one-year prison term for those who attack teachers, faculty members at colleges and universities, nurses and doctors while they are on duty. 

The punishment also applies if the educators or healthcare workers are attacked for an action or decision they have taken in their professional capacity.

Okour reiterated the JTA’s support for the move but noted that it should go hand-in-hand with raising public awareness of this issue.

“The law is only part of the solution… working on the mindset is also required to reduce such attacks,” he told The Jordan Times.

Last week, Education Ministry Spokesperson Walid Jallad said the ministry has filed 60 lawsuits against teachers’ assailants, noting that the minister has tasked the legal division with following up on all assaults.

He added that the ministry will not drop charges against the assailants even if the targeted educators decide to do so.