The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Relatives shocked when the boy was brought in fish cart

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 18, 2006
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Relatives shocked when the boy was brought in fish cart

City Bureau

``Teachers not aware of behaviour modification methods''

TAMBARAM : ``I felt numb when Alexander was brought to our house in a fish cart. He could not even stand,'' said Mary Albert, whose grandson was allegedly assaulted in his groin on the Children's Day.

Even four days after the incident, A. J. C. Alexander, Standard VIII student of St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School in East Tambaram, is unable to even sit owing to the injury.

Ms. Mary Albert, who retired nine years ago after a 35-year career as a teacher, said, "It is unfortunate my grandson was hit in the same school which I had served so long,'' Ms. Mary said. Relatives said they were shocked at the way he was brought in a cart.

Though he was admitted in the Government General Hospital in Chennai with doctors insisting that he receive treatment for some days as he had suffered a blood clot on his groin, his parents pleaded with doctors and brought him back on Wednesday morning. The parents told doctors that as both of them were working, they would get him treated at home.

A. J. Churchill, his father, is working in a private firm and mother Sunila Beulah is a teacher at a matriculation school in Selaiyur. Alexander is their eldest son and their younger children Peniel and Beryl, twins, are in the UKG.

"At no cost should teachers raise their hands against students. There have been such incidents in the past and we pray that such acts of violence are not meted to children,'' Ms. Sunila said. She said the family had no intention of continuing Alexander's education in the same school. Senior officials of the Education Department of Kancheepuram district said they were unaware of the incident.

After being informed by the media, they tried to contact the school, but could not, the officials said. A senior officer of the city police said they were inquiring into the father's allegations.

Though school authorities stoutly denied the allegation, a section of them confessed that some teachers behaved violently with the children. Though personnel from the Selaiyur police station came to the school premises on Thursday, teachers had not informed correspondent Father Arulappa, till Friday evening.

Reacting to the incident, K. Shanmugavelayutham of the Tamil Forum for Creche and Childcare Services (TN-FORCES) said social institutions like family had to learn other ways of modifying the behaviour of their children before corporal punishment was banned. Teachers were not even aware of behaviour modification methods such as rewarding and reinforcing good behaviour and these should be included in the teacher training courses.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu