Unusual methods

A primary school teacher in the state of Saxony-Anhalt who had had enough of a group of unruly children interrupting her class took a roll of packaging tape and sealed the mouths of seven chatterbox kids, according the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung daily.

Reports say she even threatened her young charges if they tattled about her draconian measures at home. But somebody did spill the beans, and the parents of the tykes called for the teacher's head -- figuratively, of course.

School authorities in Halle agreed and on Friday, they announced that the teacher would lose her job for her unconventional methods of class control.

The newspaper also reported that several pupils are now undergoing psychological treatment for their ordeal.