Dhanbad, Jan 11: A lady-principal in a Jharkhand-based school has been in trouble for forcing as many as 80 Class X girls to return their homes with no shirts but only on blazers.
The incident took place at the Carmel School, Digwadih in Dhanbad, following celebration of the Pen Day scheduled on Friday.
Acting on the complaints from the guardians, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Madhvi Mishra has formed a committee to investigate the incident where the principal, Sister M. Devashree, allegedly removed the shirts of 80 girl students as punishment for celebrating the ‘Pen Day.’
According to reports from guardians and Jharia MLA Ragni Singh, the Class X students of the school celebrated the ‘Pen Day’ by writing messages on each other’s shirts after completing their examinations.
The principal objected to the activity and reportedly asked the girl students to remove the students’ shirts as punishment, even though they apologized for their actions. The girls were then sent home wearing only their blazers, without their school shirts.
Guardians’ forum lodged Complaint in this connection on which the Deputy Commissioner has initiated an enquiry on the sensitive matter.
The incident caused significant outrage among the guardians. Since the school was closed on Friday, they visited Dhanbad on Saturday to lodge a formal complaint with the Deputy Commissioner, condemning the principal’s erroneous behaviour.
On being informed, Jharia MLA Ragni Singh condemned the act and joined with the guardians’ forum to raise objections on the matter.
The guardians expressed that the incident had left their daughters deeply distressed, and many of the students are now reluctant to return to school.
According to the DC, she has ordered a probe into the matter forming a five-Member committee. Formed
The committee, comprising the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), District Education Officer (DEO), District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), and the Jharia police station in-charge, is probing the issue, said sources.
Response of the concerned school principal or any authorized person of the school committee is yet to be received.
