(See the child coming out of the school and confronted with the mob!!!)
It was scary. Damn scary. Our kids were inside, ready to run out of class and go home. For the little ones, the Grade one kids, it was their second day of school, they were still getting used to the concept of a full day school. Some of us parents rushed to plead with them to let the children come out safely. Some of us asked them if they even knew what they were protesting against. They didnt. All they knew is that a girl had been expelled. For this, they were putting at risk around 2000 confused and scared children in the school premises.My knees were shaking in fear, my heart was thudding like jungle drum. I knew yesterday that I would throw myself in front of the mob before I let them enter the school building. I knew my baby was somewhere safe in the building but for how long. What guarantee the mob wouldnt go on a rampage and injure the children? We spoke to the leader of the mob, we told him that none of the parents had an issue with the school, to look at both sides of the story...he listened politely to us, assured us the children would not be harmed, and continued with the vandalising of property. I am fuming. I will not let my son be held hostage because of one parent's desire to be an activist and stay in the news.
For some background. The school had hiked the fees in 2008. A group of parents led by this mother had protested vociferously against the hike, leading morchas, dharnas, filing cases etc. (Which, I incidentally did not support, because at the end of the day, this is a private unaided school. If the fees are beyond you, you always have the option of moving your child out to a school which is within your budget). The spat between the school and this group got more vicious with the mother going ahead and filing FIRs against the school management saying they had threatened to harm her child and disfigure her by throwing acid on the child, etc. Which we dont believe. My only question is, if this is true, why would you insist your child continues in the same school? If it were me, I would immediately remove my child and admit him in another school if I had even a hint that he was being harassed or victimised, forget being openly threatened. We all have our children in the school. And all children are precious.
The children were held back in the classrooms until the mob dispersed, after breaking school property, assaulting the guards, and handing over a letter to the principal demanding the school take back the expelled child.
The crowd of anxious parents swelled, the children were tired and hungry. The little ones were crying, the older ones throwing water, shoes, bottle caps and assorted missiles from their class windows onto the mob.
Finally, the children were brought down and dispersed off peacefully, a good 45 minutes after they were due to be released.
35 opinions:
I was seething yesterday. Today, disgust and sadness has crept in. I do hope cohesive action is taken and such incidents curbed in the future. I'm going to tweet and email this. What else can we do? Does the school have a forum where it can release its statement? Can somebody provide proof of the political party's identity? I believe even Jayant Shah of the FFE is supporting the Kulkarni lady.
It is really sad to c tis school still struggling to educate peacefully. It is a shame to c educated ppl behave in such a manner at de cost of children's safety. I left de school during de intial stages of Lina's exist...
Kiran,Its so disheartening to hear such news! :( Hope the kids stay safe and come out strong..
That is so totally not done.
Most of these people did not know what they were protesting against!! Arggh!
it says so little about a parent who brings hooligans to the school where her own child studies. the earth should open up and swallow this kind...
This is tragic, sick and disgusting. Did it take place in Bombay? I havent been near a newspaper, hadn't heard about this.
Bunch of cowards.
-Darius
http://copypest.wordpress.com
This shows how these protest cause the unnecessary troubles for the common people.
This is shoddy, Extremely shoddy
disgusting
dats very sad. hope everything is fine now.... do take care of your child..
Gosh this is madness!!!
Scary and sad :(
OMG, that is absolutely crazy and disgusting. The parent who rounded up the self-proclaimed activists must be jailed, for putting the lives of so many children in danger!! Selfish and insensitive people. So scary!!!
Btw, I loved your 'About me' write-up :-)
Even if they think this is going to help them, don't they realise that nothing comes from free.
These guys are not social workers...
Lots of us have had our kid's school fees hiked and we wish it had not gone up. But to go on morchas because of that ..???vandalise too..?? leaves me speechless!
Gosh - scary (for us as a parent and the poor child) and really disgusting behavior on the mob's part! Imagine we think of all sorts of scenarios where the kids could be in danger but who could even imagine them being safe in school is also not a given anymore! Jeez!
Something on a much smaller similar scale happened at my kids school...a parent brought 5 goondas who barged in and physically threatened the principal. The next we knew there were armed guards with guns at the school gates, and a TV channel of course doing an expose. I remember the whole hype and hoopla...and how parents were furious, and kids scared.
I agree with you...if the school doesn't suit you in anyway, feel free to protest peacefully, file FIRs whatever, but threatening, harming and breaking property just shows the parents' immmaturity and inability to accept the circumstances, and what is that teaching that child? If the world doesn't do what you want, you lash out?
Forgot to ask, is Brat okay? Was he able to talk about it?
Disgusted completely with the entire issue. The attitude shown by the parent in question was naive and disappointing. Of course, MNS was predictable.
Saw some tweets which hoped the media picked this up but I am not sure if that will help. On one hand, the arrogance, stupidity and insane means used by some political parties needs to be exposed but at the same time, I believe publicity is exactly what their goal is. MNS will say mission accomplished when this is shown in the media. Hope things settle down quickly and are not repeated.
This is awful.
"Some of us asked them if they even knew what they were protesting against. They didnt. All they knew is that a girl had been expelled."
-- These are the exact principals on which MNS is brought up.
When Raj Thackeray seperated from ShivSena and formed MNS, in every area and every locality, open recruitment was going on for the youths to join in as party workers. And if you look closely most of the young blood who've joined the party as workers are from lower middle class, only inorder to gain some power.
Once they have a member of their family with MNS...they can do whatever they want. At a single phone call a 100 strong crowd would gather up against the other person without even knowing whose fault it is.
I have no doubts that even in this case, the said students parents must be having some contacts with MNS...so on a single phone call, they would call up dozens of MNS guys from local "shakha" and just act in the manner they want.
Its just a structured legal gundaraj. They build up gangs in the name of "shakhas" in every area and just do as they wish.
This creation of Congress to settle score with NCP ans SS; other than such horrible acts of creating scare what else have they achieved so far? pathetic
Enough is enough! I have been content to just do my bit and let everyone do what their conscience permits. But now its time to say what has mostly be left unsaid
The school has sent out an mass SMS to all parents claiming that the MNS vandalism was engineered on behalf of Avisha and her group. I just want to put it on record that Rustom Kerawala is a crook and a white faced liar. In all probability he has engineered it himself (which is most likely since he has most to gain) or just used this incident as an opportunity to gain sympathy of parents and courts. The so called agitating parents had 4 years in which to do it, and they never did it then so why would they do it now?!!!!
As many of us know from our dealings with him in the past, Kerawala is utterly unscruplous and will stoop to any level to get his way. He is building his business empire and does not care a damn as to how many parents or children are trampled underfoot. Education, of course does not stand a chance. It is definitely not on his agenda.
A man who as per his own boast during the Lina Asher fight, has 'managed' the education dept, charity commissioner, MHADA, cops and politicians is now actually blaming a bunch of parents for what is an admission related fracas (thats what the teachers were told in the afternoon)
It is disgusting that our children have to go to a school whose Trustee (how ironic that this word is associated with Kerawala) is such a base and despicable character.
The school still does not have an answer for why they collected the fees, issued the books the said child of Class 9, only to expel her just 2 days before school reopens, giving the excuse of an episode that happened nearly a year ago!!! Why did the scholl NOT expel the child last year itself? Why did the school collect the fees and issue the books to the child this year??
Any answers..??
To everybody who is blaming the parents of the child who has been expelled, please understand the school establishment has more might, money and clout to get things done for safeguarding their selfish, vicious interest.
All this is a desperate attempt by Kerawala to distract and influence the parenst and court since the final hearing on the Fee issue is just around the corner...
Wait till you all see his true colors when by some stroke of luck and for all the money he spent on legal battery, if he wins the case, how quickly and ruthlessly he will hike the school fees making up for the last 2-3 years !!!
I am really sorry your child had to face such a situation at school. I don't believe there is any place for such nonsense in a society that values education so much.
I attended the Hyderabad Public School, one of Hyderabad's top schools which operates as a "day-boarding" school. We were served lunch by the school and in all the years I was there, the food was very nutritious, prepared well and very tasty. We had a one-off case of food poisoning once where a couple of kids threw up. Our school maintains a 30 bed hospital and the children were immediately attended to.
Despite this, we had political parties the very next day fighting on the school premises, assaulting teachers and shouting vile expletives.
Our school produces some of Hyderabad's best doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs and these illiterate bozos had the audacity to assault the very people who train them.
The problem is that in politics, being illiterate and crazy is an asset.
I really hope your child does not have to face such situations ever. The last thing you want in our nation is kids developing a cynical attitude towards the law in primary school.
Thanks everyone for the comments. Will reply individually soon.
Just a reply to Anonymous: If this has been engineered by Kerawalla, it is no less despicable an act. Whoever has set this up needs to condemned. My point is we all know that education is a business today. If fees are hiked, we need to decide whether we can continue with the school or shift our kids out. Its a pure supply and demand situation. Lets not kid ourselves about nobility in education, we all know what a moneymaking racket it is become today. It is sad that this has become so very ugly and the children had to witness this.
How is the Brat? I hope he is not scared to go to school ...
Just wondering what the expelled child would think of all this ... what an example the child is being set ... sad .. extremely sad
How is the Brat? I hope he is not scared to go to school ...
Just wondering what the expelled child would think of all this ... what an example the child is being set ... sad .. extremely sad
Dear Anonymous
thanks for writing your opinion on this post,just a question the MNS ladies were distributing leaflets explaining the stand of the parent who had a problem with the school...do you really think the leaflets too were orchestrated by Kerawala?
Unfortunately tore it and gave it back to her else would have put it up here.
Hope Brat is fine. Wonder which sensible adult will do something like this! Disgusting!
This is really sad!
I only have to blame the whole law enforcement people who allow such things to happen and let it get out of control!
Unbelievable... As you say this is a private unaided school which is within rights to increase fees. You can't afford it, go to snot her school. This is crazy. Jeopardizing the safe of so many kids.. Did they arrest anyone? So glad kris is safe
Dottie
So sad to know that these people do not spare even the kids, sigh.
shameful! I pity the expelled child who is dragged into all this bcoz of the mother ..
OJ: And now you've seen how this is becoming fight to bitter end.
Chetana: The school is fantastic. I have no complaints with the school. My son loves going there, and they have worked hard on him. Any other school would have told me to put him in a special school, but they really struggled with him and have now brought him to a level where he is almost at par with the class. I owe them big time, and they will always have my loyalty.
Vidya, Aathira: Hopefully it doesnt recur.
MM: True.
Darius: Mumbai, yes. Been brewing over a while.
Ilyaskazi, Rs Mom, Asha: True. Scary.
Pallavi: She's denying it, although the activists were distributing her pamplets.
You did? Honoured.
IHM: At least for me, I lost every shred of sympathy I had for the parent...
JLT, Starry eyed, Divs: Exactly, if you cant afford it shift elsewhere or go to an aided school.
Saurabh: Hope so too.
Anon: What is worse is that educated people are turning to them and legitimising them.
Vijay: Yes, a mafia state.
Anon: Once again, I repeat, education is not noble anymore. Anyone knows that and it is not limited to schools. Every politician is minting money running professional colleges with major capitation fees. Do we go to a private hospital and say you are too expensive, lower your rates? No, we quietly shell out the obscene charges the specialists have for five minutes of their time. Be practical.
Shriphani: That is really very sad, but so true. The goons have emerged as a parallel government and nothing is sacred anymore.
CA: You think anything would scare the brat? He's planning his kicks and punches for the next round.
Uma: Exactly!
Rakesh: If we had strong police forces, no one would dare vandalise school premises on a whim.
Dottie: Around 10 MNS workers were arrested. Krish is absolutely safe and raring to have a swing at one of the rioters.
Anon: Yup. Horrible.
And today ABVP goons vandalise Le Martinier's in Kolkata for the suicide issue. How does this solve anything ? If anything, you are reinforcing the belief that violence/force is justified. How are they any different from the principal/teacher who are being investigated for corporal punishment ?
Came here to know more about this issue.
This is so terrible that so many kids have to witness such scene in a place where they go to everyday
In the battle between 2 heavyweights it is the poor children who have to suffer.
After hearing so many scary stories off lately concerning schools I am dreading the time when I actually have to place my son in one.
Hmm.. I've been your fan for years.. you know me well. I read up a little on the case. I think sending goons to a school full of children is simply unforgivable and outrageous. I would too loose any support I have for the lady. On the other hand, if the school expelled her child because of a conflict with the parent -- that is outrageous too!
--Z
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