Don’t ask me which school my son goes to but I am appalled at the teachers, the heads and more than anyone else, the children and their parents.
We, as Indians are now so blinded by the ‘My way or the Highway’ attitude, that we no longer are learning to be, or teaching our children to be tolerant.
If it isn’t said or written that bringing non-veg food isn’t allowed to school then why discriminate with the child who brings it? Why allow or turn a blind eye to the children who gang up and shame him/her for bringing the food he loves or enjoys to eat? Why ask the child who brought his food to sit in a corner or worse still, eat in the principal’s office instead of stopping the children from bullying or telling them or teaching them to sit and eat their respective tiffins.
Picture this (1):
When I discussed with the class teacher, why are the kids discriminated, she said I should speak to the head mistress because it has been told to them that bringing non-veg food to school is not allowed. But when I asked why and where is it written? The answer to my questions was again the same: “Ma'am that's the rule, We've been asked to follow it."
My understanding is, if a parent or child breaks the rule of school, I should get a note in the calendar saying “Ma’am do not send chicken or eggs or any kind of meat to school as it's a policy of the school." I NEVER received such a notice... ever.
How are you not hurting our democratic right and sentiments to eat what we want?
Schools of minority faith don’t force kids of different faith to bring non-vegetarian ONLY, then why are you forcing children to bring ONLY veg? And on what basis?
Picture this (2):
A 9-year-old is mocked and pointed and made to feel bad for the food he brought. Then he is asked by his close friend to "Never say you brought chicken. You have to lie and say that you brought veg." So, 2 9-year-olds inorder to feel included and not be shamed are teaching each other a survival skill... LYING!
Then comes the teacher, the saviour... either asking them to sit far away or removing them away from the bullies and ask them to eat their food someplace in isolation. Thereby the teacher, teaching the child, "when you face bullies run and hide but NEVER CONFRONT".
You are breaking the spirit of a child – YOU ARE BREAKING THE SPIRIT OF OUR NATION.
No one can be as ruthless as children. The scars that children can leave on children stays forever. Even through one’s adulthood. But when teachers give the kind of solution they give, it simply imprints it forever. Plus, parents of the bullies; what are you telling them? Why can’t you teach them to accept people with their differences? Why are they being raised to be so intolerant!
Picture this (3):
The headmistress says: “We (school) are one of the top most schools who are open to all cultural beliefs and faith. We even teach them in food pyramid, the positives about Chicken and Eggs, the rich protein one can get from eating it, but we don’t allow them to eat in SCHOOL.”
Me: Ahm ahm, “Ma’am you just contradicted yourself.”
Ma’am: “No, No I did not. We are really accommodating but we do not allow children to bring non-vegetarian food to school.”
Me: Ma’am you contradicted yourself again, in the SAME sentence! Okay, if that is your policy then please explain, why so?
Ma’am: Because we’ve been told so. Even teachers are not allowed. Everyone is aware of this rule.
Me: Is it as a rule in the calendar? Or is it being announced on the Orientation Day? Because I do know a whole lot of parents and students who aren’t aware of this unspoken mandatory rule!
Ma’am: No. It’s not in the Calendar. But everyone knows.
Me: How? Cause I have another kid in this school since Jr. Kg. and now he is in the 9th. Neither he nor I am aware of the same. But yes, I know of parents who stopped and now avoid sending eggs or chicken to school so that their children don’t feel isolated as all of them have gone through this ‘food-shaming’ and bullying episode by their classmates.
Ma’am: No ma’am, it's surprising that you are not aware of it but it is like that only. I request you to write to the principal if you wish to send non-vegetarian food to the school.
Please note: None of the teacher I spoke to is addressing the bullying issue! It's like they are allowing this to happen or are turning a blind eye.
I left the school disappointed. Highly disappointed, and disheartened. I have no clue where we are headed as a Nation when Schools… such reputed schools who often flaunt themselves being in the top 3/5 in Mumbai Suburbs behave and contradict themselves blatantly and are so unapologetic about it as well. They kept passing the buck. But no one was ready to take the onus or say it in words.
Solution:
· We either move our children out of one school to another (who may or may not have similar or different unspoken rules)
· Let him be bullied and figure how to fight this shame he feels for no fault of his.
· Cow down to a gang of 9-year-old bullies and stop sending food he likes in tiffin.
God save the Future of our Nation!
-SuVi
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