MANILA, Philippines — A public school teacher in Batangas City is in trouble for allegedly hitting her pupil as punishment for laughing at her when she fell asleep, a radio report said Thursday.

Radio dzRH reported that the teacher, identified as Segunda Yolanda Culiar, is now the subject of administrative and criminal complaints lodged by the pupil's parents.

Culiar, a science teacher at the Batangas City South Elementary School, faces an administrative complaint lodged Wednesday before the office of the City School Superintendent.

The administrative complaint cited her for grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming, conduct detrimental to the government service, and infliction of corporal punishment.

On the other hand, a criminal complaint was lodged against her for violating the anti-child abuse law.

The report said the complaints stemmed from an incident last Jan. 12, when Culiar fell asleep during class and was jolted awake.

She supposedly got mad at the 10-year-old pupil who laughed at her being jolted awake, and hit the pupil on the head.

The pupil had to undergo psychiatric treatment for 30 days at a hospital, the report said.

* Teacher's are treated with respect by students because without them, there will be no one who would teach them. And teachers are also treated as our second parents especially during elementary and high school that we still need guidance. What this teacher has done has traumatized the child, and I can't blame the parents if they are going to file charges as well with the school because teacher's acting that way towards a student is not a good example. Teacher’s are role models especially to the youth, and this teacher has damaged her reputation being a good role model. *