Is this bravery?

A government school in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district organised an event to mark the birth centenary celebrations of the late Tamil Nadu chief minister K Kamaraj. A noble thought by itself. What they did for the celebrations was horrifying, the photograph more so. A row of school children with their hands outstretched, palms face down, lying on the side of the road with a man on a motorcycle going over the hands. My heart stopped beating when I saw the photograph this morning.
This is the accompanying article:

In name of bravery, TN govt school puts students in peril
Bosco Dominique Villupuram (TN): A government school in Tamil Nadus Villupuram district has recently organised an event that exposed schoolchildren to serious harm in the name of celebrations to mark the birth centenary of late Tamil Nadu chief minister K Kamaraj. The event was meant to be a bravery show , but it resulted in violation of child rights, virtually putting students at risk of sustaining serious injuries. The show began with a batch of students displaying their karate skills. Then came the main event a biker riding over the outstretched hands of students from Class I to V lying on the ground, and later the bike going over a plank placed over a girl. The incident has evoked strong protests from child rights activists, who want the government to sensitise the teaching fraternity, particularly those in rural areas, on the basic rights of children. Ironically, the event was organised in consultation with the parents-teachers association (village administrative committee) of the municipality elementary school at Keezhperumpakkam in Villupuram on a day when a trust managed by the family of higher education minister K Ponmudy came forward to distribute free uniforms and stationery items to the students. It was the ministers wife, present as chief guest, who stopped the school authorities from continuing their daring stunts . After witnessing a couple of events, the ministers wife directed us to stop the show. We abruptly ended the programme, said parents-teachers association treasurer M Elangovan. Headmaster Ramanujam maintained the event was organised with the consent of the parents-teachers body. We consulted all the members of the association on the show. All members agreed. None of the students received injuries as they are well-trained to engage themselves in adventurous events. A karate expert visited the school to train students, he said.

I am furious. How dare they use the children for stunts? Is this not exploitation. A martial art, a performance, a skit, yes, all are valid options for a celebratory programme but dangerous stunts like this by school children is definitely not on. And more horrifically, sanctioned by the school authorities and the PTA. What if a child had the bones in their hand crushed? What if the motorcyclist had lost his balance? Yes, I live with what ifs, but it terrifies me. And I wonder how the parents agreed to this? Were they compelled to participate in this against their better judgement, worried that they would be considered not brave enough for not allowing their children to take part. I must thank, virtually, the minister's wife who was horrified enough to insist that this ridiculous bravery show stop immediately. I do hope the folks who decided they could use children for such life endangering bravery shows are given a chance to show how brave they are when thrown into the slammer.