Violation
of Child Rights at AM Hindu Nadar Higher Secondary School, Sevathiapuram
Fact Finding Report
Date: 28.11.2007
Village Name : Iruvappapuram Panchayat Villages
Taluk : Srivaikundam
District : Thoothukudi
State : Tamilnadu
School : Arulmigu Muthumalaiamman Hindu Nadar Higher Secondary
School Sivathaiahpuram
Background of the Issue:On 22nd November 2007, children of Vedamanikapuram village were playing near the road side when Mr. Jeyaraj, class teacher of standard VIII of the above mentioned school, went through that way. It happened so that one of the children had shouted the teacher’s name. The children group there, is constituted of children who are studying in the above mentioned school as well children who are not. On 23rd November 2007, Mr. Jeyaraj had beaten up two children of Solaiputhur. Prabakar and Pasupathiraja, in an attempt to make them accept that they are the one who shouted the teacher’s name on the previous day. The incident happened during the morning school assembly in the presence of 1200 children. The beating had caused injury on the side of the left eyebrow of Prabakaran and severe swelling (caused by the finger ring of the teacher) on the head of Pasupathiraja. The two children were asked to bring their parents to the school on Monday morning.
On 26th November 2007, Mr. Andi father of Prabakar and Pasupathiraja went to the school and enquired about the incident. Head Master was leave on that day. Since the Headmaster had leaved on that day other management staff and teachers convinced him and sent him back. After send him back, another teacher Ms. Santhi Vijaya Rani (eighth std class teacher) severely scolded students of class 10. “Yeen parents ellam pallikoodathukku kootittu varinga… nanga appadithaan adippoom… Palla paiyankalukku Nadar Schoola ennada vela” Why you had brought your parents to the school… We have right to beat you…You Pallas (Dalit boys) have no right to study in the NADAR school”. The wording of the teacher wounded the boys which led them to mobilize other children and quit the school. During the lunch hour of 26th November 2007 around 60 boys of dalit community walked out of the school. When the boys reached the home and informed about the incident to their parents, the parents of girls children rushed to the school to secure them. But the school management had not allowed the girls to go with their parents. On the same day the children went to the Colletorate and handed over the petition citing the incident and demanded for justice. In the next day, DEO, Thoothukudi went to the school and conducted a peace meeting among the teachers. Followed by the DEO visit, two teachers were visited the village and requested the parents to send the children back to school. But still, the children stayed back.
Following the above incident, the Fact Finding Team had visited Iruvapuram villages, had conducted a Focus Group Discussion with the children and community members and paid a visit to the house of Prabakaran and Pasupathiraja. Following are the information came out of the discussion.
a) Focus Group Discussion with the children and community members of Iruvappapuram
· This is not the first incident of the castiest approach with in the school
· Children of the Dalit community were not given good marks in the examination even though they work hard. Kavitha, a Dalit girl was given 2nd rank in her progress card even though she had scored highest total in the class. The school had given her the first rank only after having demand from Kavitha’s parents. This was an example how the Dalit children given low priority in the school.
· Dalit Children have not recognized for their merits in sports. During 2004, a Dalit boy attain championship in the sport events was not given trophy during the prize distribution and the School Management have not displayed the boy’s merit in the notice board, which was otherwise a regular practice with the school.
· In the English Examination a boy wrote a letter to his friend named Pasupathi, but the teacher misunderstood the name as the boy is mentioning a Dalit leader with the same name and awarded zero marks.
· Four years back a girl child nameed Senthil Lakshmi, daughter of Mookandi belongs to Pramaiahpuram village studying 9th standard was scolded by a teacher by using vulgar words. Those words wounded the child which led her to drop out of the school.
· The children noted that the school is not for them, pointing out to the stones having inscriptions list of upper caste names who had given donations to build the school. And a statement stating that the ‘school built by the Hindu Nadar people’s taxes’. So the children feels that the ‘School is not Ours’.
· When the Dalit children take leave they were charged Rs.5/- as fine where other boys pays just 50 paise only.
· Dalit children were not permitted to take leave during their local festivals. But the upper caste children enjoy this privilege.
· When one community member enquired about 23rd November incident to the correspondent over phone, the correspondent responded that “Muslim children study in Muslim School: Nadar children study in Nadar School: why you Dalits comes to study in our school”
· 10th and 12th students have compulsory study till 8.30 pm and are being collected Rs. 35/ as tuition fees.
· Corporal punishment is a regular practice in the school; children are beaten up with canes.
· The teachers have separate facility for purified drinking water where the students have to depend on unsecured tap water.
· Tours are always cramped bus with more numbers of upper caste adults closely related to the school management come in considerable numbers.
· Dalit parents do not have any representation in the Parents Teachers Association and we get no intimation about PTA meetings.
· 10th STD dalit students fear to go to school due to threatened atmosphere in the school campus. On the tenth student Hariharasudhan told that “Ennakku Pallikku Povatharkku Payamairukku, melum engalai aadiparkall endru achathudan erukkeentran. Ennakku Hall ticket kedalithal Pothum, Nan Veettil erunthu padithukolvan anantrall enkitta puthakkam errukku”. I am afraid of going to school since my teacher may again beat us. If I get hall ticket, I will sit back in my home and continue my study since I have all books with me
· The school management deducted some amount from the full scholarship provided by the government for the dalit children without giving any receipt for the deducted amount.
· If any parents raise the voice against the violence of child rights, the particular parent of dalit children is refused to give labour.
Interview with Prabakaran
Prabakaran studying XI, section C mentioned about the incident as below
“On 22nd November 2007, when I am playing with my friends, Mr. Jeyaraj, class teacher of standard VIII, went through that way. At that time one of my friend who is not a school going boy had shouted the teacher’s name. Next day, when I went to the school Mr. Jeyaraj had beaten me up first and asked me to accept that I am the one who had shouted. Secondly he had also beaten up my younger brother Pasupathiraha, who is in class VIII. The incident happened during the morning assembly in the presence of all children. The beating had caused injury on my left eyebrow and severe bulge in my brother’s head. We were asked to bring our parents on the next day.”
“On 26th November 2007, my father came to the school and enquired about the incident. Since the Headmaster is on leave on that day other management staff and teachers convinced my father and sent him back. But I am still hurt, and along with my friends (nearly 60 dalit students) left the school after the lunch hour. We reached home and informed about the incident to our parents. The parents of girls children went to school and demanded to send their daughters with them. But the teachers refused to send the girls. On the same day we went to the Colletorate and handed over the petition to the district collector citing the incidents and demanded for justice. Till today we haven’t attended school. Yet we don’t want to discontinue our education, and tomorrow we had planned to go to school, though with fear.”
Recommendations from the community
School is a space for social integration, It should not discriminate children on any grounds.
The teacher responsible for the incidents should be punished.
Teachers, even parents have no right to beat children. The practice should be stopped immediately.
Instead of special coaching that goes up to 8.30 pm, village level education centers should be brought in.
Since there are more number of Dalit children in the school, considerable number of Dalit teachers should be appointed. (Presently there is only one Dalit teacher)
Representation of Dalit parents in PTA should be allowed.
Our children should be provided with peaceful environment to study and develop.
Equal treatment in the education as well as non curricular activities.
Recommendations and Suggestions of Fact Finding Team
The district administration and the education department should ensure stringent action against the teacher as well the management on the grounds of inflicting corporal punishment and insulting children in the name of caste.
This school teachers should be given orientation on child Rights and Development.
Block Level Grievance Cell should be established under the direct supervision of DEO.
Cancellation of compulsory study. Alternatives can be evolved, like having village level study centre.
Parents and Teachers Association and Village Education Committee functions should be transparent and community should be properly informed.
Child Rights orientation should be given to students
The school should have children forum for child rights that would monitor and report to the Block Level Grievance Cell.
Names of the school should not display the name of the caste
Fact Finding Team
Children First (an civil society alliance for ensuring the rights of the children)
1. Mr.A. Syed Ali, CEDAR, Kovilpattoi
2. Ms.J. Selvarani, ERA, Tuticorin
3. Mr. P. Rajagopal, NEEDS, Srivilliputur
4. Mr.P. Veluchamy, Social Activist, Tamilnadu
5. Ms.N.Deivakani, Convener, Campaign on Violence Against Women. Tuticorin District
6. Mr.S. Rajesh Kumar, ADD, Sivakasi
of Child Rights at AM Hindu Nadar Higher Secondary School, Sevathiapuram
hu participated in the fasting today. 
ay of the continuous sathyagraga Mr.Markandeyan (Ex-Vice chancelor Gandhi gram Rural university) joined with the Sathyagragies and observed fasting on 11/11/2007 . He spoke to the media that it is shame to the state and union government where after 60 years of freedom still a group of people have to strugle against caste domination and denial of rights. Especially a group of people have to strugle for their dignity and respect. After 60 years of freedom if a village is not provided even funeral ground then where is freedom. The directorate of local government itself rejected the proposal of merger of the iruvappapuram panchayat with sawyerpuram townpanchayat mentioning the domination of population.Within 10 days the same directorate gave order to merge the panchayat with sayerpuram town panchayat how it was happened? . He told the district collector has the power to seperate the panchayat . I hope he would do that immediately. 
sspective of caste. But the majority upper caste people of the nearby panchayat didn't like the dalit leadership in their circle. Hence using the political power they snatched the panchayat from dalit and merged it with saywerpuram town panchayat which is under their domination. Why it is said that the panchayat was snatched because the dominant caste people volunteerly proposed to merge irruvappauram reserve panchayat with sayerpuram town panchayt where as the dalit people opposed it.They also thretened and punished the dalit whoever opposed the proposal . They thretened the dalit people to accept and sign as they would accept the merger of the panchayat. More over when a fist proposal was sent to merge this panchayat the Tamilnadu diretorate of local body administration rejected it on 10/09/1964.It gave notice that a panchayat consiting minority dalit community could not be merged with other panchayat where the dominant caste population is high. But because of the political infuluence of dominant caste within next ten days the same directorate gave provissional order to merge iruvappapuram panchayat with sayerpuram town panchayat on 20/09/1964. Still the provisional order is alive from 1964. By this events this has been proved that the panchayat was snatcehd from dalit . when the dalit people lost the panchayat they lost every thing. There is no development activities carried by the town panchayat in the 13 dalit and minority community villages for last 43 years. No funeral ground, no road, no ration shop, it's all happening because of caste domination and communal discrimination in the town panchayat administration. In this area we can sea live evidents for the communal discrimination . Protesting this the people have started strugle now .After many demonstration demanding to separate the iruvappapuram panchayat as it was before 1964 now the people have started indefinite sathyagraga from last 2nd oct 2007. The district collector visited the sathyagraga spot on 25th day but no action taken still where as satyagrga hunger strike exceeds 40 days. 
a and gave solidarity to the people that he would make the issue to be addressed in the parliament and legislative ministry . The people of sathyagraga explained the discrimination in the town panchayat administration and denial of rights in the last 43 years . The dalit representative in the current town panchayat Mr.Jayakkumar (pattali makkal katchi) Mr.Subbaiah(DMK) told how they are treated and disrespected in the town panchayat council meeting. They told regarding that they have given petition to the collector. The seperation of Iruvappapuram panchayat is the liberation to the 13 village dalit and minority community . Hence On behalf of the people We seek solidarity from all activist and political leaders to ensure the rights and dignity of 13 village dalit and minority community....
