West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chaterjee on Wednesday said that lesbianism (or homosexuality of any kind) would not be tolerated in schools in the State as it was against Bengali culture and society. He was reacting to the controversy raging in a south Kolkata girls’ school where the authorities allegedly threatened to expel some students on the ground that were displaying “lesbian behaviour”.
Parents and a few students of the school said the authorities had forced them to give a written undertaking that the students would not indulge in such behaviour in future. “If the school found that there has been indecent behaviour on the part of certain students, the school authorities are within their rights take appropriate action,” the Minister said.
School discipline
Asked whether a school could impose such restrictions, he said a student had to abide by the discipline in the school.
Mr. Chaterjee said that under no circumstances “lesbianism can be inculcated” in the schools. “I have asked my department to seek a report from the school. It is the duty of the school authorities to take appropriate action if [the girls] are found guilty,” he said.
The school authorities refused to comment on the matter, and said that the issue had been sorted out.
