Chennai school sexual harassment: Secondary school students in Chennai, Tamil Nadu have raised allegations on social media against a male teacher accused of sexual misconduct. Revealing chats that show the teacher misbehaving, largely with girls in class, students are leading a campaign to urge school administration to take action against him and impropriety in educational institutions.
The issue has gained widespread attention online, with celebrities like Chinmayi Sripada and Kripali Samdariya, and alumni highlighting it. School authorities have issued a statement claiming they were unaware of any previous allegations against the teacher and are now leading an inquiry into the matter. More here.
8 Things To Know About The Chennai School Sexual Harassment Case:
1. Earlier this week, students of a school in Chennai brought to notice sexual misbehaviour on part of a male Commerce teacher named Rajagopalan and inaction on part of the school administration regarding their complaints about the same. It has led to a wave of complaints spanning branches across the school group.
2. Chats and remarks disclosed by students and attributed to the accused are going viral on the internet. Model Kripali Samdariya, along with other alumni of the school, are amplifying the cause of current students on social media, bringing it to larger notice.
3. Allegations against Rajagopalan range from asking girl students to send photos, asking them out on movies, touching them inappropriately, slut-shaming them to even turning up to online class semi-nude. Some male students have also accused him of groping them. Samdariya has highlighted several complaints on her Instagram profile.
4. Students have alleged that notices have been sent to the administration consequent to Rajagopalan's behaviour, "batch after batch," but without avail. "Zero action was taken against him and some of us were even subtly threatened into silence," a student states anonymously.
5. The school has denied knowledge of Rajagopalan's behaviour in a The statement from PSBB.
It now rests with the students to actually take this forward legally. The screenshots of the man walking into an (online) class in his towel is appalling.
BTW - YG Madhuvanti has nothing to do with PSBB KKN. Her family has their own school. pic.twitter.com/qH4Cc3kLv4
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) May 24, 2021 saying "our school has zero tolerance towards any behaviour that adversely affects the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of our students."
6. Alumni of the institution, in a letter, have urged the school to take immediate action against the accused and conduct a full inquiry into the matter. The teacher must be barred from coming in contact with students and from grading their assignments as long as investigations are underway, they are demanding. Many online are even urging parents of the students to file official complaints against the accused.
7. A Times of India report states Chennai police's women and children wing Superintendent visited the school to investigate after allegations against Rajagopalan blew up on social media.
8. Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Minister for School Education, reportedly said on Monday he has asked officials to look into the matter. DMK leader Kanimozhi, taking cognisance of the issue, wrote on Twitter, "Inquiry should be conducted and action must be taken against those who are involved including school authorities who failed to act against the complaints from students... I promise to take this to the concerned authorities."
Follow Us/shethepeople/media/post_banners/X33lvQY26WPvRBeqXjhJ.jpg)
/shethepeople/media/agency_attachments/iUYfaBbcMozaYLoGnoov.png)
