BEIJING — A kindergarten teacher has been fired after taking photos of more than 20 naked students and posting them online.
Local news agencies in China reported that the female teacher, who was identified only by her surname Ma, snapped the images at a school in Yanshi city in the central province of Henan.
The photos show naked boys lined up in rows, laid out in the shape of a heart and in a circle with their legs facing out. They were later posted on a social media site.
Local news reports noted that parents who had stumbled upon the images were “very uncomfortable” with them, with some accusing Ma of being a pervert.
Ma said she had taken the photos to teach the boys about sexual education and life.
A spokesperson for the local education department in Yanshi told NBC News on Thursday that Ma had taken the male students to shower while leaving girls in another classroom before snapping the photos.
The department also confirmed that the teacher had been fired, but declined to say when that had occurred.
It is unclear whether Ma is facing any criminal charges in connection with the June 18 incident.
While news of the incident only reached China’s websphere this week, it quickly garnered thousands of comments from outraged netizens, with many calling for greater privacy measures for children in China.
