Parents of students in the Panchayat Union Middle School at Vadugapatti near Namakkal gheraoed the institution on Monday, urging officials to dismiss an English teacher who, they alleged, had sexually harassed girl students.
The agitated parents also tried to assault the teacher and block road but were stopped by the police.
Headmistress S. Krishnaveni said that she had received complaints from students of Class VIII and their parents that the 33-year-old teacher made the girls feel uncomfortable by suggestive words and touch. The teacher is the only male staff member of the school, which has eight teachers
. “He has put in five years of service as a government school teacher and been in this school from 2008. In the past, he had used abusive language while talking to parents, picked quarrels with schoolboys and even assaulted them.”
Ms. Krishnaveni said that this was the first time that allegations of sexual harassment had come up against the teacher.
The teacher concerned, P. Sathyaprabhu, contended that the headmistress had instigated parents to make false allegations against him as he was a Dalit.
Education Department officials arrived at the school and asked Mr. Sathyaprabhu to go on leave. They said departmental action would be initiated after enquiry.
Keywords: sexual harassment, teaching profession
Unfortunately, sexual harassment claims can always be met with accusations that the victim either one, wanted it, or two, is making it up. I give the accuser the benefit of the doubt BECAUSE of the propensity for onlookers to respond in these ways. Women have very good reasons to NOT come forward when they are sexually harassed. How does a woman prove to you that she isn't 'making it up'? She can't. And this is why so many women stay silent. Making an accusation of sexual harassment instantly opens a woman up to defamation of character and reputation. The risks are very high. The perpetrators count on women knowing this and keeping their mouths shut. That's why my default position is to believe the woman.
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