Kerala: Teacher made 6-year-old Dalit student clean the vomit of his sick student, said – you only

Posted On November 25, 2024

Despite complaints given to the school principal and education department, no strict action was taken against the teacher, due to which the child’s family and Dalit rights advocates are angry. The child’s mother lodged a formal complaint at the local police station on Friday.

Geetha Sunil Pillai

Idukki – A case of caste discrimination has come to light in St. Benedict’s LP School located in Sleevamala of Idukki district of Kerala, in which a six-year-old Dalit student was forced to clean the vomit of his fellow student. Despite … On November 13, Pranav Sijoy, a second-grade student, was angrily asked by his class teacher Maria Joseph to clean up the vomit of his sick classmate in front of the entire class, leaving the child traumatised.

According to the child’s mother, Priyanka Soman, when a child vomited in the class, the teacher first asked all the students to cover the mess with sand, then classes resumed. Later, the teacher asked Pranav to clean up the mess alone.

When Pranav said he wanted to study, the teacher angrily scolded him, pointed a finger at him and forced him to clean it up. Shivering and crying, Pranav did it while his classmates watched. Pranav’s friend Niket told the teacher that he would help Pranav, but the teacher refused, saying only Pranav would do the job.

Speaking to The Mooknayak, Priyanka said her son did not immediately tell her about the incident. “The next morning, Pranav started crying and refused to go to school, as he was afraid he would be scolded again. I thought it was probably due to some poor performance in class, so I explained to him and said that if he improved his studies, the teacher would not scold him. I did not know how much trauma my little child was going through.”

Priyanka came to know about the whole story only on November 20. During a chance meeting with Niket’s mother on a bus, the two talked about children’s health and the school environment. Niket’s mother mentioned the vomiting incident and told that Pranav was forced to clean it. Priyanka was shocked and upset to hear this, and immediately contacted the school principal.

Initially the principal was not aware of the incident, but asked to speak after finding out the matter. Later, the principal confirmed the incident and said that the teacher would be warned. When Priyanka asked if such a teacher would get just a warning for discriminating against a child, the principal said that this would be the maximum action the school management could take. Unsatisfied with the response, Priyanka filed a written complaint with the Assistant Education Officer (AEO). However, the AEO staff explained that since St Benedict’s is an aided school, they have limited authority to take action against the teacher.

Priyanka said the school management was indifferent to the gravity of the situation and the education department also did not give a satisfactory response. “The principal suggested only a warning, but this is outright caste discrimination. My child was humiliated in front of his classmates. How can such a teacher be allowed to remain in the class?”

Priyanka, who works as a data entry operator, and her husband, a mechanic by profession, are worried about the long-term effects of the incident on their child. “Now Pranav is scared to go to school. He is terrified and we are worried about how this will affect his confidence and future studies,” says Priyanka.

Determined to get justice for her son, Priyanka filed a formal complaint at the local police station on Friday. She vowed to pursue the matter so that no child faces such discriminatory behaviour again.

“This is a traumatic experience for a six-year-old child, the teacher had no right to force him into such humiliating work when the school has hired sweepers for such tasks. This is clearly negligence and casteism,” she says.

The incident has sparked anger among Dalit rights activists and parents. Many have criticised the education department for inaction. They say the school’s inaction reflects caste-based discrimination and negligence towards marginalised communities. They also say the matter should be properly investigated. If the teacher is found guilty, she should be sacked. But there has been no response from the management despite the complaint.

Dr Rehna Ravindran, anti-caste activist and assistant professor at Delhi University, says, “Many cases of caste violence against Dalit children in educational institutions run by minority groups (missionaries) in Kerala go unreported because there is no grievance redressal mechanism and fear of harassment by the management. This case is just the tip of the iceberg.” She further added, “This school is run by a Christian management, a so-called minority institution. There is no mechanism in the school to prevent caste violence by teachers against marginalised children.” The Mooknayak contacted the education department to get information on the incident but did not receive any response. Also, a message was sent to the school principal, Susamma Joseph, to know the management’s version and the action taken against the teacher. The story will be updated if there is a response from both sides.

Courtesy : Hindi News