Mangalore: School convener's advise to girls evokes ire, parents file complaint
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Jan 10: The parents of three girl students of a school here got their children transferred, apparently after the school convener advised the students not to go to dance practice outside the school as it was not safe for them. The parents even went to the extent of filing a complaint against the school.
The incident was reported at Bertrand Russell High School at Baikampady here.
School convener Nisha Laxmi is said to be strict about rules and discipline among students, often advising students about their manners and behaviour. However, eight of the students invited her displeasure after they started going for dance practice in preparation for a youth programme outside the school, after class hours. When Nisha came to know about it, she called them to her office and advised them against going to any dance practice outside when such a facility was provided in the school itself.
However, the way she reportedly advised did not go well with the students or their parents. Three of the eight students complained to their parents who came marched into her office on Friday January 10 and expressed their discontent at the convener's advise to their children.
The parents claimed that Nisha had used 'abusive language' while speaking to the students about the dangers of going to dance classes outside the school and allegedly harassed them mentally by talking of issues related to sex and sexual harassment.
"The convener told us not to go to dance classes for practice and used bad language against us. Every day she calls us to her office room and harasses us mentally. She told us that we should not go to such dance classes as girls get 'misused' there. Hence we have decided not to continue in this school anymore and take private tuitions and write exams," said the three students in the presence of their parents, before walking out.
However, school convener Nisha rubbished the allegations and said that though it was true that she had advised the students, her words were taken wrongly and misunderstood. "These days incidents of crimes against minor girls have increased, and given this situation, I advised them not to go to dance practice that goes on till late in the night. There is no point in thinking that everybody is good and then regretting not taking enough precautions after something goes wrong. Hence, to make the students understand these things, I advised them. However, if they want to take my advise wrongly and take transfer certificate from this school, I cannot do anything," she said.
The parents lodged a complaint against the school with Panambur police as well as the women and children welfare committee, stating that it was not right on the school convener's part to talk about sex with the students and control their activities after school hours when parents were there to take responsibility of their children.
The school management too filed a counter case against the parents.
Sources said that more students may leave the school in the coming days over this issue.