While polling can be an informative hobby, there are some lines you shouldn’t cross.

A teacher at Osakafu Ristumisaki High School was dismissed for posing as a high school student online and direct messaging women with questions of a sexual nature. The incidents totaled around 200 and included two students from his own school.

While the ages of the other victims wasn’t disclosed, the fact that he was pretending to be a student implies that he wasn’t prowling for women his own age. When investigated, he is reported as saying, “I wanted to satisfy my sexual desire, and I thought it would be okay if I was anonymous.”

Some might argue that he never pursued these women, simply resorting to asking them about their sexual experiences to get his own kicks, but according to comments online, very few were willing to go down that road.

“They really ought to weed people with these tendencies out before they become teachers.”
“Great, now that he’s fired, he’s free to do worse things.”
“There’s a disturbing number of perverted teachers.”
“Why did he have to ask so many people?”
“I wonder what would have eventually happened if he wasn’t discovered.”
“Thinking he can be totally anonymous on the net…. He’s more stupid than perverted.”
“You can be anonymous when you’re doing normal things. Once you cross a line people will come looking for you.”

As someone who can barely maintain a Twitter account, it’s baffling that he could engage, or at least attempt to engage, with around 200 women over the course of a few months. The amount of time it must have consumed would imply that he was probably a pretty crappy teacher to begin with… so good riddance.

This news comes in the form of a report by the Osaka Prefectural Government listing disciplinary actions that have been taken against high school teachers in recent months. Other lowlights include a 24-year-old teacher fired (and arrested) for filming up the skirt of a woman at a train station, a 30-year-old instructor given a six-month suspension after he was caught shoplifting a pair of women’s underpants valued at 800 yen ($7), and a 56-year-old vocational school teacher who was suspended for one month for slapping a cop.

Teaching is without a doubt a thankless and demanding job, and those who rise to the challenge deserve respect. But if you’re an educator who finds yourself creeping on women, stealing panties, or smacking cops around to cope, it may be best to consider a change of employment for the sake of yourself and those around you.

Source: Osaka Prefectural Government, ABC News, Hachima Kiko
Top image: Pakutatso