La Martiniere for boys: Scandal, Controversy, and Shame
Posted on : 22-05-2010 | By : admin | In : Education & Programs
Tags: Anand Nayak, Ashok Biswas, David Howard, La Martiniere for Boys, LMB, Lt-Gen. John Mukherjee, Rev. Simick, Rouvanjit Rawla, Sanjay Smart, Shireen Mondol, Srijan Banerjee, Sunirmal Chakravarthi
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It may be suggestive of a cover up that Neil O’Brien and K.S. David have been replaced as members of the La Martiniere Schools BOD. However, speculations can be laid to rest for the moment as the board is meant to analyze the role of acting governors each year, at which time their services could be renewed or they could be replaced.
2010-2011 La Martiniere school board: Ashok Biswas, Rev. Simick, Shireen Mondol, Lt-Gen. John Mukherjee (An ex Martinian himself), Anand Nayak and David Howard.
Rouvanjit Rawla: The debates don’t matter but what stands is the growing sentiment that Rouvanjit Rawla was wronged, leaving behind family and friends who have to endure this painful loss every day of their life. Rouvan had been caned by La Martiniere for Boys principal, Sunirmal Chakravarthi. Acts such as this cause a child trauma, shame and psychological stress, and inaction by authorities to set things right can trigger uncertain behavior, including suicide. Children are a voice to reckon with and though most boys from LMB would be sitting quite this summer in fear, anger, or confusion there have been indications that students at LMB have of late been caned.
Corporal punishment at La Martiniere for boys: Sentiments are hurt, and LMB ex- students are talking about incidents of intimidation, corruption and bullying. Of course what has been done can’t be undone, but certainly current atrocities must be stopped, and offenders punished. A parent disciplining a child is very different from caning a child at school whether in class in front of others, or away from public eye in a private cabin. If Sunirmal Chakravarthi has been caning boys at La Martiniere, seniors will certainly agree that the English styled premier institute is soon turning murky. Reports on caning may seem a little sketchy to some but that’s only because children at the school are fearful of speaking up. Others reports support that fact that this year a student of LMB was rusticated for speaking up against the injustice done to Rouvan. The law prohibits administering corporate punishment on school students, and the notion is seconded by the La Martiniere board. If this is true, then why is there no action against erring principal, Sunirmal Chakravarthi. Rouvanjit Rawlas father has held the principal responsible but there seems to be no inquiry, public statement by the La Martiniere for Boys school, or suspension of those indicted until cleared of charges.
Srijan Banerjee: This 4th graders future still stands uncertain. There have been no recent developments after the arrest of Sanjay Smart early this week by the Calcutta police. What stands to baffle those concerned is the fact that Srijan Banerjee has been failed this last academic year, 2009-2010. As per an Indian government ruling, no child till class VIII can be failed. The very fact that Srijan Banerjee was not promoted breaks the law. The school board has drawn enough flak already, and must review his case immediately.
The school has not made a public statement regarding anything except the fact that school teacher Sanjay Smart is being reviewed. Please read about this topic, and be vocal if you feel the need for it. Any insight would be helpful. The La Martiniere name is an important facet of my life, and I would like justice for the concerned children.
Despite the persistent efforts of various NGOs and social activists against corporal punishments, news of students being beaten to death by teachers is not a novelty in India. It is a clear breach of human rights, which deteriorates children’s dignity and physical integrity.
http://www.lawisgreek.com/why-should-corporal-punishment-in-school-be-abolished/
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Heard of Benjamin Spock?
It is said that he is responsible for an entire generation of American youth had been raised and ruined.
Read more: Benjamin Spock Biography – life, family, children, parents, death, wife, school, young, book, old, information, born, college, time, year http://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Spock-Benjamin.html#ixzz0qL9PXK1I
Libertine ideas are good. But then if one is rebuked or even caned to become so mentally weak as to commit suicide does not speak highly of the grooming wherein one is kicked ass throughout life. One has to toughen oneself so that failures do not affect the enthusiasm to Labore et Constantia.
One the one hand we take pride of being on the way to becoming a superpower and on the other hand, we are so weak mentally that at every step we have to become another Arundhuti Roy to show we are intellectually liberated and not plebeian!
As far as O’Brianl is concerned, he is from a political family. Where was his conscience when in
Alney’s time our grounds were sold out? Today, we do not have the Stage, the Chapel or the Library.We do not even have the historical remains of the names of ex students carved out on the steps. History wiped out for commercial interests. So, who wants such characters as O’Brian, whose conscience is as fickle as the wind. Or is there more than what meets the eye?
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Smart advertised to sell one laptop , the link is given below:
http://www.classifieds.ivarta.com/Kolkata-Lenovo-Laptop-For-Sale-Computers-PCs/197588.htm
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I feel sad at this incident. This should be an eye opener to every teacher and school administration in India. Some teachers don’t have the patience with the kids. Understandbly the teacher is stressed out with the amounts of students in a class but it is no excuse to treat kids in such an inhuman way.
As for bribes, this is nothing new. There are always those teachers who will stoop so low and muck around with a kids future so he can get something extra on the side.
I was in a boarding school in the early 80’s and can relate to brutal punishment being meted out. Most teachers in that school were good and treated the boys in a decent manner. But there were some miserable cruel teachers who beat boys for their own sadistic pleasure. Being in a boarding school made it so much worse for those boys treated in that way.
My heartfelt sympathies to the family of a loved child lost.
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Its a big shame for such a prestigeous school like la martiniere to have such shameful incidents taking place.I guess God is now helping rouvan have revenge against the teachers who had targetted him.
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Yeah yeah yeah- all you indians are cruel and corrupt bastards. What’s new?
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I have known Mr. Sunirmal Chakravarthi when I was at St. Paul’s School Darjeeling. He was famous for canning students and slapping them as much as he was for teaching English. However, I will narrate an incident which would shock those who read this comment for sure.
At St. Paul’s it was mandatory to go to church on all days for students with weekday + Saturday services were for 15 minutes only (I am talking about 1996). While coming out of the church a lot of us witnessed him dragging a class XII student by the neck (Some Gurung from Nepal whose name I don’t recollect) inspite of another teacher (Mr. T Calvert) trying to pacify Sunirmal Chakravarthi. He then punched the student at least half a dozen times and also threatened him that he better come to his office later to see him. This happened in full view of at least 50 students and a few teachers.
In another incident he canned a couple of my classmates with fencing wire because he could not find his cane.
I am therefore not really surprised that the law has caught up with him.
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