'Suspend Teachers Arrested At Recent Protests'

A pro-Beijing group says any teacher who has been arrested during recent anti-extradition bill protests should be suspended.

About a dozen members of the Hong Kong Island Chaoren Association, during a demonstration outside the government headquarters at Tamar, said those teachers are not setting a good example for students.

They highlighted the case of one teacher who was arrested for manhandling a woman in Mong Kok, after a mass protest in Tsim Sha Tsui on July 7.

The group also said upper secondary school pupils shouldn't have to take Liberal Studies as a compulsory subject – as they could be easily affected by their teacher's political stance.

The group's vice president Joseph Yu said the government should be communicating with schools, to learn more about teachers' conduct. And he said he didn't want teachers to impart their views on the situation in Hong Kong right now onto their students.

The Liberal Studies subject, which is a core subject in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, has been controversial.

Some pro-government figures, including former Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, have blamed the subject for radicalising students. However, those claims have been dismissed by government officials and educators, who say Liberal Studies helps to develop important skills.