Our teachers were most caring, La Martiniere alumni spring to defence

KOLKATA - Many former students of Kolkata’s prestigious La Martiniere for Boys School have come out in its defence after the controversy created by a student’s suicide after being caned. “Our teachers are one of the most caring”, says one Facebook post while another says that “caning was an acceptable form of punishment” and problem lay with the boy being “too sensitive”.

“We know that we r going through a bad time. Being a Martinian we always had the courage to over-cum such critical situations. Our teacher are one of the most caring teachers and its because of them we have been able to become a capable human being. Proud 2 be a Martinian,” posted Aritra Chakroborty.

Facebook, Twitter and other social media are abuzz with strong comments by ex-students who have sprung to their alma mater’s defence.

The 175-year-old school landed itself into a controversy and focus of nationwide debate when a Class 8 student Rouvanjit Rowla hanged himself Feb 12, days after he was caned by the principal.

La Martiniere alumnus Dibya Satpathy recalled having been beaten up by the teachers but said it never triggered any thoughts of committing suicide.

“EVEN WE GOT CANED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND WERE THRASHED BY OUR TEACHERS, BUT NEVER EVER DID THE THOUGHT OF ENDING OUR LIFE CAME TO OUR MINDS,” wrote Satapathy on the site.

Another visitor to Facebook was critical of the school.

“The principal’s a convict… teachers behind bars… suicidal students…. the perfect school I must say,” posted Emmanuel Ignatius, while Manjula Nasra wrote “What a shameful day for La Martinere”.

Another Facebook visitor suggested that caning was an acceptable form of punishment to ensure that students don’t pick up wrong habits. However, the problem lay in Rouvanjit being “too sensitive”.

“I believe in Mr Chakravarty (the principal) as someone who has always wanted his students to shine…like any other worthy teacher…I firmly believe in his ideals…it was his bad luck that he found someone as sensitive as the young rouvan…there could have been someone even more sensitive than him who would have jumped from the window for being …” writes Sunny C. Dua

Rouvanjit Rowla’s father has filed a police complaint against the principal and four teachers alleging that his son was driven to take his life following repeated humiliation and torture.

The school has made it clear that corporal punishment is banned and will take action against any teacher found guilty of flouting the rule.

A teacher of the same school was arrested earlier for allegedly demanding a laptop from a student to promote him to a higher class and then failing the child as his parents refused to meet his demand.

The West Bengal government has announced that it would set up an authority where students and their parents can express their grievances about schools and teachers.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also conducted a probe into the incident and expressed dissatisfaction over the teaching environment in the school.