COIMBATORE: A group of class IV students of a private CBSE school near Vadavalli were temporarily suspended recently after their parents criticised the school administration on a Whatsapp group.
An administrative officer of the school said the decision was taken after the parents criticised the management for conducting online classes, besides sharing false information about the school on social media. According to a source, around ten students have faced the action and their names have also been removed from online classes.
A parent M Aruna told TNIE, "On June 3, a parent shared a news clipping on Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan saying that private schools should not conduct online classes on the Whatsapp group. Immediately, I shared another clipping about the minister's clarification that private schools can conduct online classes, as long as teachers are not asked to come to school. Later, another parent sent a link of the central government's direction to private school asking them not to collect the fees."
"On the same day, my twin children studying in class IV, who were attending an online class between 10-11 am, were disconnected. When I tried to connect the application again, it did not connect. Later, my mobile number was removed from a school Whatsapp group, on which a class teacher sends Zoom ID and password for the online class," Aruna claimed.
She said she was unable to contact any authorities, including the principal, of the school, adding that she wrote to the Collector on June 4 seeking action against the management for the suspension without intimation.
The administrative officer said, "The parents criticised the management and they created a WhatsApp group called 'parents against fees', and shared false information about the school in social media. So, we have removed few students from the school temporarily."
Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer P Usha said, "We have received a verbal complaint on this. I have directed the Perur District Educational Officer (DEO) to conduct an inquiry and submit a report, based on which future course of action would be decided. We have also instructed the parents to submit a written complaint," she added.