To learn the first lesson they skipped, a group of City University of Hong Kong students were allegedly made to stand for it, igniting online debate over the unusual penalty.
A post circulating on social media this week stated that more than a dozen classmates in a "Music for Film" general education course were required to stand for an hour during the second lecture after missing the first.
The post included a photograph capturing several individuals standing in the lecture room.
The incident sparked discussion, raising questions about whether the staff member's handling of the situation was appropriate, but the student's account has since been set to private.
Students were "observing": CityU
In response to the Sing Tao Daily, the sister publication of The Standard, CityU clarified the students were asked to "observe" their peers in a class activity based on the first lesson's content.
The university stated that the students chose to stand in order to better follow the course progress, adding that the instructor did not order them to stand as a punishment.
Barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung (File Photo)
In an interview with Sing Tao Daily, barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung criticized the incident, describing it as "inhumane, dangerous, and very uncivilized" if the punishment is true.
He noted that there could be various reasons for missing class and suggested the university should adopt better practices to address such situations.
He recommended the students involved to file complaints with the university, which typically initiates an internal investigation, inviting the staff member to explain the reasons for enforcing such penalties.
If a plausible explanation was not provided or the instructor's actions were deemed a breach of the school's code of conduct, disciplinary action may be taken depending on the severity of the occurrence, he added.
He further mentioned that if the allegations are substantiated, the students might consider pursuing a civil lawsuit for tort, as requiring them to stand for an hour could cause discomfort.
However, he stressed that legal action is a serious decision and the facts remain unconfirmed.
Unusual case at the university: Priscilla Leung
Veteran lawmaker and CityU law professor Priscilla Leung Mei-fun called the incident "unusual", stating she had never heard of similar cases in the campus.
She highlighted that university students are adults and the environment is typically liberal, urging the university to verify the facts.
Priscilla Leung Mei-fun (File Photo)
