- Is half a cup of Joe worth your pension?
Imagine a scenario where an educator, whether a teacher or a school principal, knowingly commits a crime. Should they be punished more severely than regular Joe?
On one hand, you could argue that teachers should show impeccable morals to help young students grow up right. On the other, everyone should be equal in the eyes of the law.
Whichever way you lean, though, we can all probably agree that this Japanese school principal was punished well out of proportion.
The 59-year-old principal, who hasn’t been named in Japanese media, was caught for the heinous crime of pouring himself a large coffee when he’d only paid for a medium one. Not only that, it turned out he’s a repeat offender.
Harrowing, is the word we’d use for his crimes.
The Japanese Board of Education seems to think so, too, based on the sanctions they slapped on the principal. Not only did the man get fired but the authorities also scrapped the pensions he’d earned over his career.
Note to self — if we ever visit Japan, measure coffee precisely down to the ounce.
A Crime Most Foul
The principal’s crimes were revealed on December 21, 2023, according to Asahi Shimbun. That morning, he went to a local convenience store and ordered a takeaway coffee.
When prompted about what size, the principal told the clerk he wanted a medium coffee. For his choice, he paid 110 yen ($0.74).
However, when the principal went to the self-serve coffee machine, he did something atrocious. With what we assume was a malevolent grin on his face, he pressed the button for a large coffee instead of a medium.
A large coffee at the convenience store costs 180 yen, or $1.20. The principal had outrageously swindled the store out of 44 cents.
Fortunately, the cashier had sharp eyes. He noticed the principal had pressed the wrong button and confronted him at the machine.
Realizing the jig was up, the principal admitted to his great crime. Not only that, he confessed that he had cheated on two past coffee purchases as well.
As the cashier was now dealing with theft, the police were called. They took the principal’s information and forwarded it to the Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office.
During interviews, the principal further admitted that he had dishonestly poured his coffee four times at a different convenience store. In total, the losses both stores incurred came to 490 yen — a whopping $3.30.
Needless to say, the prosecutor’s office determined that they had better things to do and didn’t indict the principal.
By the Book
The Board of Education, however, wasn’t so lenient. As the principal had broken the law, the Board summoned him for a hearing.
During the interview, the principal said he was “truly sorry” for his actions. He explained that he had acted on a moment’s impulse, perhaps getting a brief thrill from being a bit naughty.
Mercy, however, has no place in the heart of a good bureaucrat. The Board compared the principal’s crime against the guidelines for disciplinary action.
Punishments for public servants in Japan — a category that includes educators — fall into four different levels of severity. They may be reprimanded, receive a pay cut, be suspended from work temporarily, or be dismissed entirely.
For theft, the guidelines recommend suspension or dismissal. The board picked the latter.
On January 30, the principal lost his teaching license and his job. With them, his pension went out the window as well.
Considering the principal is 59 years old, we’d imagine he’d earned a decent pension under the Japanese system. Now, it’s gone, all because of three dollars’ worth of coffee.
‘Appropriate’ Action
The principal’s case has understandably caused a bit of a stir in Japan. The Board of Education doesn’t seem to understand why — after all, they followed the law and precedent to the letter.
According to the guidelines, the punishment for theft can include dismissal and forfeiture of pension. The principal committed theft, so the case is closed.
“We reviewed past disciplinary actions and concluded that dismissal is appropriate for a repeated offense,” the Board of Education said.
Not everyone is happy with the Board’s by-the-book approach, however. Many members of the public have argued that the punishment in this case is completely disproportionate to the crime.
Takashi Sakata, a professor of public education at Japan Women’s University, is taking the principal’s side. However, he doesn’t believe he should get away scot-free.
In fact, Sakata believes the principal should be punished for his crime more severely due to his position as an educator. The Board’s decision, though, is way too severe in his opinion.
“The loss of a teaching license and retirement pay have significantly larger impacts than the losses the principal was responsible for,” said Sakata.
“The board’s decision gives the impression that they just followed the formality of precedents.”
Now, if everyone poured an oversized coffee for themselves, the convenience store’s losses would rack up over time. But losing your entire pension for an extra half-cup?
That’s harsh.