BENGALURU:The death of a Class 10 girl from National Public School, HSR Layout, after she was suspended for being friends with a boy, has left many questions in its wake. The school suspended Monali Mahala for the ‘mistake’ of hugging a boy on the school playground. She allegedly jumped to death from the window of her 10th floor apartment on Monday.
The incident has shocked students, parents and teachers, and triggered anguished debates. What kind of behaviour is unacceptable in co-education schools? How do you tell affection from inappropriate behaviour? And how should children found behaving inappropriately be dealt with?
According to Dr K P Gopalkrishna, chairman of the National Public School group, hugging is not a crime. But students should know where to draw the line. “Hugging itself is not wrong. But in a public space, in the school or college campus, a certain decorum is expected,” he said.
His school is under scrutiny for being too harsh with Monali, and is facing a child rights case.
Dr B S Anuradha, member of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, observed that anything that makes a child uncomfortable should be considered objectionable.
Using the analogy of ‘good touch, bad touch,’ she said, “As long as the girl and the boy are within limits, it is fine.”
The school’s action has upset others working with children. “The girl hugged the boy on the playground, in the open, and not in a secluded place. Where was the need to be tough on the child and cause distress?” asked Nina Nayak, child rights activist. “Hugging is an expression. It is not guided by any law. The younger generation has new ways of communication that are different from ours. I don’t think there was anything wrong,” she said.
In schools at present, rules concerning appropriate behaviour are not set in stone. Dr C Gayathri Devi, principal of Little Flower Public School, maintained that what is not accepted in society is seen as ‘wrong behaviour’ in schools, too.
In the absence of clear definitions, the teachers’ discretion comes into play, she observed.
Even then, many feel a humane procedure must be followed for pulling up a child.
“The teachers should explain in kind terms where the child went wrong. Reprimanding children is not the way,” Nayak said.
Vasudeva Sharma, executive director, Child Rights Trust, agrees. “In such circumstances, instead of dismissing a child, which in itself is wrong, the school should have a conversation with the child and the parents.
“A child should be given a chance to appeal, and explain herself or himself,” he said.