CHINA: A high school has sparked great controversy among residents in the area after news spread that it had tried to persuade an overweight female student to quit school, or to transfer to another school in Sanya, Hainan province.

Liu Guangming, 15, who weighs more than 90 kg, is often the object of laughter by her classmates at Sanya Experimental High School. They tease her and call her "Fatty".

Liu Yubin, the father of Liu Guangming, complained that the school should not deprive his daughter of her right to go to school, despite her weight.

But the school argued that the girl should transfer to another school as Liu has few friends in the school.

Many local residents have shown support for Liu, saying it is the school's responsibility to educate Liu, no matter what she weighs. The school should also handle relations between her and her classmates at school, they argue.