A junior high school teacher in Taiwan has been convicted of assault for hitting a student with a cane, a warning to teachers that "strict discipline" is no defense in court.

• A volleyball teacher at a Changhua middle school told students at the start of the term that anyone failing to meet his standards would be punished.
• One student who fell short was hit on the buttocks more than ten times with a cane, and the family took the case to court.
• The teacher argued the punishment was meant as a warning, not to hurt anyone, but the judge rejected that.
• The court said he should have helped the student improve calmly instead of injuring him, and noted no settlement was reached with the family.
• The sentence was 30 days of detention, and the case can still be appealed.

Outlook: The teacher can appeal, and the ruling adds to pressure on Taiwanese schools to drop physical punishment entirely.