PATHANAMTHITTA: A teacher’s resignation in protest against the alleged gender discrimination at a school and her open criticism against the institution have divided social media. Rani Joseph, a higher secondary English teacher at the Little Flower Public School in Kollamula, Pathanamthitta, had resigned on September 14, after the principal allegedly asked her publicly as to why she was not wearing a coat over the sari. The school authorities, however, have termed the allegations regarding gender discrimination baseless.
Rani told TNIE that female teachers in the school are asked to wear coats over sari while no such rule is applicable to male teachers. “Besides, there are separate doors in classrooms for girls and boys. Also, there are separate staircases. I cannot accept such gender discrimination in a school and I wanted to express my protest. So, I resigned,” she said.
“I gave measurements to stitch the coat after joining the school in May this year. I got it stitched this month. But on checking, I found it was not fit for wearing. So, I informed the authorities concerned. However, the principal asked me, that too in front of my students, why I was not wearing the coat. On September 14, he again asked me about it in front of the students very loudly, and as a teacher, I could not bear it. So I submitted my resignation immediately,” said the 38-year-old.
Meanwhile, the authorities of the school -- owned and managed by the Society for Education and Charity under the Claretian Missionaries, St Thomas Province -- rubbished the allegations. Parent-Teacher Association president Sijo Madukkakuzhy said the school implemented the ‘coat’ system around 15 years ago as per the request of the teachers. “It was not the school management which demanded it. Rani teacher is a former student of this school and her children are studying there,” he said.
“There are more than 2,000 students in the school, and hence, boys and girls have been told to use separate stairs while returning after school in the evening and during intervals to avoid rush. But it is not mandatory. In the morning, they can use any staircase as there won’t be much rush at that time,” he said.