Imagine: an 11-year-old girl get into an argument with a classmate. When words aren’t enough, she slashes her classmate’s throat with a box cutter and leaves her to die in an empty classroom during lunch break.

Four weeks later, in a nearby town, a 17-year-old boy dozes off during class. His teacher, filled with rage, brings him to the staff room and hands him, of all things, a box cutter. He orders the boy to write him an apology in his own blood and leaves him to do so. There were other teachers present in the staff room at the time.

This all happened in southern Japan. The teacher is expected resume his classes next week and has no pending charges. The student’s parents have not removed him from classes or requested a new teacher.

I’m trying to imagine any part of this story happening in the US.