Sexual abuse in Kaithal school: Can't trust teachers, transfer them out, demand villagers

Tribune News Service

Geetanjali Gayatri

Kaithal, December 13

Critical of the teachers for being “mute spectators” to the goings-on in the government senior secondary school where a principal sexually assaulted girl students, villagers have demanded the transfer of the entire staff.

They have already approached the sarpanch, Ravi, with this demand, claiming that the teachers failed to raise their voice against the treatment meted out to their wards by the principal. “We will take up the demand with the Education Department,” the sarpanch said.

“The principal used to touch the girls inappropriately and use filthy language. He wouldn’t hesitate to slap boys when they tried to defend the girls. It was all happening in front of the staff, but they did not raise the issue with anybody,” a villager stated.

Knew about misdeeds, but did nothing

Whenever I would complain about the principal, teachers would tell me that they would speak to him, offer empty words and assure me that it would be handled at their level. However, he continued with his ways. —A parent

A mother, who had approached the teachers a couple of times after the principal used abusive language against her daughter, said they would apologise on his behalf and send her back with the assurance that it would not happen again.

“They would tell me that they would speak to the principal, offer empty words and assure me that it would be handled at their level. However, the principal continued with his ways. Some days it was my daughter, other days he would target someone else,” she rued.

Though reluctantly, some teachers admitted they knew what was going on. “We would try to impress upon him to behave, but he never did. We worried that he would create trouble for us and we did not have the courage to approach the higher authorities,” a teacher stated.

The villagers are upset with the staff for not having the courage to inform parents or village representatives. “Since they have let us down out of fear of transfer, we can’t trust them with the safety of our children. They should all be moved out. Not only that, we want a woman to head the school,” a father stated.

The school has 16 staff members for classes VI to XII.

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