Two months after the parents filed a corporal punishment complaint against one of their teachers for slapping the child, authorities at the Chembur school suspended him
The 14-year-old boy with his father outside the Child Rights Commission office showing the suspension letter
The parents of a 14-year-old Std IX student, who was suspended from a Chembur school over a month ago, claim that the school did this to avenge the corporal punishment complaint they had filed over three months ago against one of their teachers for beating him.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 14-year-old boy with his father outside the Child Rights Commission office showing the suspension letter
The parents recently sought the Child Rights Commission's (CRC) intervention in the case, saying the school has put forth a condition for reinstating the student, a stamp paper stating that their child will never indulge in unruly behaviour in the premises.
They also demand police action against the teacher, who had resigned after the complaint against him but was reinstated in the school recently. CRC, after hearing the case for the first time yesterday, asked the parents to submit a few more documents and approach the body again.
“The school is demanding a stamp paper saying that our son will never misbehave in class and that they will have the right to expel him if he does. Only if we do this, will they reinstate my child.
This is unfair. Why should we write such a letter when my son is not at fault? This will be like accepting the school's false claims. My son is being targeted by the school following the corporal punishment complaint filed by us against a teacher in October,” said the 14-year-old's father.
Ryan International School in Chembur had suspended the student on December 23. “The school allows my son only to appear for exams and leave immediately after the paper is over. How can a child be kept out of school for so long?” the student's father said while waiting outside the CRC office.
Complaint 'backfired'
In October last year, the child's parents had filed a corporal punishment complaint with the education department and the police against an English schoolteacher for allegedly slapping their kid six times for leaving his collar button open. Following that, the school accepted the teacher's resignation and then during the Christmas vacations the boy's parents received a letter from school that their ward has been suspended for assaulting fellow classmates and unruly behaviour.
Meanwhile, the school reinstated the teacher. Parents now call it a personal vendetta against their child.
CRC says
A N Tripathi, secretary of the commission, who was hearing the case, said, “It is inappropriate to suspend a child for such a long time. The matter will be heard soon again as we have asked the complainant to submit their reworked documents as soon as possible.”
When contacted by mid-day, Neti Srinivasan, the spokesperson of the school, promised to get back with the school's statement but never did. Later, several attempts to reach Srinivasan proved futile.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
