A student experienced a mental breakdown after watching a horror film during a self-study session at school, prompting a court ruling that partially held the school responsible, according to South China Morning Post. The school’s insurance provider was ordered to pay compensation of 9,182 yuan (approximately £1,100).

What happened?

The incident occurred in October 2023 when a teacher was on leave and the class period became a self-study session. Students, including the class head teacher, agreed to watch a horror movie, though the film’s title was not disclosed. Later that day, the student began showing signs of speech difficulties and mental confusion during an online conversation with their mother. Diagnosed with acute and transient psychotic disorder—a temporary disconnection from reality—the student had no previous history of mental illness.

Court ruling

The student’s parents claimed the school failed to protect their child’s mental health by allowing the screening. The school denied responsibility, attributing the breakdown to the student’s “special physical constitution” or an underlying illness.

The Hengzhou People’s Court ruled the school bore 30 per cent of the responsibility, citing its approval of the film screening. The case sparked discussion on Chinese social media about the risks of exposing students to disturbing content, with many users criticising the choice of a horror film during school hours.