Teachers destroying mobile phones [Captured from Chinese social media]

A controversy has erupted in China after school teachers were filmed destroying over 100 confiscated mobile phones with a hammer in front of students.

The school explained that they were disposing of phones that had been confiscated years ago and never claimed, but as the controversy spread, educational authorities criticized the act, stating that arbitrarily damaging personal property is inappropriate.

According to Chinese media outlets such as Zhonghua Wang on the 28th, a video recently went viral on Chinese social media showing teachers at a school in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, using hammers to repeatedly smash mobile phones on the school playground.

The video shows over 100 mobile phones lined up on the ground in front of a platform on the playground, being destroyed one by one by teachers while students looked on.

The school stated that the destroyed phones were those that had been confiscated from students and left unclaimed for years, and that the measure was intended to raise awareness among students about the school's policy against bringing mobile phones to campus.

The video was reportedly filmed about two months ago.

However, Chinese netizens have poured out criticism, with comments such as "damaging personal property is illegal" and "the school is still using outdated methods to manage students."

The Chenzhou municipal education authority also stated, "Even if the mobile phones were unclaimed by their owners, they are still personal property and should not be arbitrarily damaged," adding, "The school's method of handling this was inappropriate, and we will investigate and address the matter."