Organization: Penn State University
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 16:10:56 EDT
From: <DXA4@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.culture.kerala,soc.culture.tamil,soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: A boy's head was shaved for speaking Malayalam in school
 <1992Jul30.161838.19911@quintus.com> <1992Jul30.180142.9271@b30.ingr.com>
 <1992Jul30.191200.7324@cis.ohio-state.edu> <92212.172404DXS23@psuvm.psu.edu>

FILE: DXA4     NETPOST  A1                VM/ESA Conversational Monitor System
PAGE 00001


Organization: Penn State University
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 15:21:24 EDT
From: <DXA4@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.culture.kerala,soc.culture.tamil,soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: A boy's head was shaved for speaking Malayalam in school
In article <92212.172404DXS23@psuvm.psu.edu>, Deepak Srivastava
<DXS23@psuvm.psu.edu> says:
>
>In article <1992Jul30.191200.7324@cis.ohio-state.edu>,
>chandra@cannelloni.cis.ohio-state.edu (B Chandrasekaran) says:
>>
>>Netters have to make up their mind about what upsets about this story:
>>that "immersion learning," is a good way to learn a new language, that
>>children in India are often punished by head-shaving for academic offenses,
>>or that parents want their children to learn English well and rapidly.
>
>In my views "immersion learning" of any thing at early stage, childhood,
>is not necessary. An adult's decision about involving him/herself into
>"immersion learning", however, is a matter of his/her own choice. What
>is so upsetting about this whole incident is the type of punishment
>they used in this matter. I do not know how common the punishment of
>of shaving head is in Kerala or other South indian schools. But to me
>it seems that such severe punishments will do permanent damage to the
>psychology of the young one.
>
>I have one additional question in this matter.
>
>Were parents of the child informed of the mode of punishment ahead
>of when the infraction took place ?
>
>If they knew about it and still let that happened I feel sorry
>for the child. But if they did not know about it and the school
>suddenly decided that shaving head is a suitable punishment then
>they should shave the headmaster and the school management (take
>them to court).
>
>disgusted on this incident..         Deepak
>

This is one of several incidents occurred due to our British mentality, though
British have left India almost 45 years ago, but we are still their mental
slaves. Let me recount some of these latest incidents which reflect this
scenario:

1. A few years back a guest wearing dhoti was not allowed to enter the Ashoka
Hotel Dinning Hall, Delhi.

2. Mr. H. F. Hussain, a parliamentarian and famous painter was not allowed to a
club in Calcutta because he was barefoot.

3. More recently, just couple of weeks ago, Mr. B.S.N. Mallya, editor Kannada
Weekly 'Vikram' was stopped from entering a hotel in Bangalore because he was
wearing chappals. He was invited to  a press conference given by a minister.

4. And now this young, bright, tenth-rank holder,  7th grade student of a
English medium school had his head shaved by the Prinipal, by way of punishment
for the sin of conversing in his mother tongue. This incident has created state
wide condemnation and criticism of authorities which run this school (MES Raja
Residential School). What angered the general public all the more was the justi
fication of the MES authorities in awarding this cruel mediaeval punishment to
the student.

    According to the school principal Mr. K. A. Rasheed, such punishment for
talking in Malayalam was a 'usual and ordinary form of punishment prevailing in
the school and there is nothing wrong in it.'

     The victimised boy, S. Mansoor had to undergo sever psychological trauma
following the incident and was bed-ridden. Only when Mansoor reached home from
the residential school for the Bakreed holidays with tonsured head and high
fever and mental depression that his parents learnt about the entire episode.
The boy's parents have already moved criminal and civil private petitions
against the MES authorities in court pleading among other things, proper action
against the school authorities and compensation for the mental trauma and
agony that the boy had to undergo.

Dinesh Agrawal.....

Newsgroups: alt.culture.kerala