“Teacher
sentenced to one month imprisonment for punishing school girl for hair style” was
the flash news in many TV channels on 17th July 2012 in Tamilnadu. I
was so curious to know about the details of the case as a concerned teacher and
a parent because the incident is an indicator of the change in attitude of the
society that every teacher and parent must realize. Let me narrate the incident
in brief.
Suja
( name changed ), a fifth standard student, daughter of a laborer was studying in a private school in Coimabatore , Tamilnadu. In the year
2008, one day she had turned up at the school without double plaits which was against the hair dress code of the school.
The
Physical Education Teacher of the school scolded the girl and made her stand
outside the class. Not satisfied with the punishment given, she took the girl to
her room, caned and reportedly cut her plait much to the embarrassment of the
child. Based on the complaint from the mother, the Police arrested the teacher
and registered a case against her. The Magistrate who heard the case found the
teacher guilty and awarded one month imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1000.
The
questions that come to my mind are :- Generally parents first approach the
Principal / Headmaster in matters related to their children and resort to
further course of actions only at a later stage. In this case, why did the
mother straightaway went to police and didn’t complaint to the School Authorities?
Did the girl’s mother over react? Why was the teacher too harsh on the girl?
Was the Courts verdict too harsh towards the teacher? Whatever may be the case;
Teachers and School Authorities as well as Parents must realize the changes
taking place in the society and should try to avoid the occurrence of such ugly
incidents.
Teachers
are entrusted with the difficult task of not only teaching the students but
also protecting them from the evil factors of the almost corrupt society. A
humane approach to problems / mistakes would bring better solutions. Equal
treatment regardless of what the socio-economic back ground is very important. The
parents of the child in the case given are laborers and their nature of work
might have not permitted them to ensure that their child strictly adheres to
the dress code of the school. Whether the teacher acted on her own will or
obeyed the instructions of her superiors, punishing a child cruelly for the
inability/negligence of parents cannot be justified in a civilized society. It
is a sad truth that the affectionate relationship that existed between teachers
and students is slowly disappearing from the materialistic society.
