‘Harassment’ of students: BEO asks school to explain

The Block Education Officer of Mangalore North C. Lokesh on Monday began inquiry into the alleged harassment of two students by their school in Baikampady for attending dance classes at a cultural organisation.

Deepti S.M and Seema S., class 8 students of Bertrand Russell School, told public representatives in a meet on Saturday that they were being harassed allegedly by School’s Correspondent Nisha Lakshman for attending dance classes run by Karavali Yuvaka Mandali.

The two students said Ms. Lakshman had threatened them with bad remarks in their transfer certificates. The students said they had not been going to the school since Friday. Hearing the two students, local MLA Mohiuddin Bava asked Mr. Lokesh to take action.

Mr. Lokesh visited Bertrand Russell School on Monday. He met the two students, the Secretary of the school and Ms. Lakshman. Parents of the two students were agitated and they had come with a group of people. Mr. Lokesh met the parents separately.

Mr. Lokesh told The Hindu that the school’s Secretary and Ms. Lakshman regretted about the incident and assured that she would not take any adverse action against the two students.

During his long discussion, the two students said they were being harassed for more than a year. The students and their parents were given telephone numbers of officials who can be contacted if they are harassed again.

The Block Education Officer said he sought explanation from the school management and from Ms. Lakshman over the incident. He said a report will be submitted to the Deputy Director of Public Instruction Moses Jayashekar for further action.

Ms. Lakshman, however, told The Hindu that she never expressed any regret over the incident but asked the students to “forget” what had happened and return to classes “if they are comfortable”. In a mail sent to The Hindu she maintained that she had acted in the best interest of the two girls.