Bangalore school shocker: 'These children are made to sit in the last bench'

Parents of the students in a Karnataka school who had tufts of their hair cut off to distinguish them as being beneficiaries of the RTE Act, said their children were being discriminated against in many other ways including being denied access to school supplies.

“These children are made to sit in the last bench, they’re not given homework. They’re not allowed to participate in class like writing on the board that other children do. Even when there was a test, our children were excluded,” Geeta, mother to a six-year-old girl who was allegedly discriminated against, told CNN IBN.

According to Geeta, when her daughter returned from school last week with scars she said that she had been repeatedly poked with a pencil by a classmate and despite protests the teacher refused to act on it.

“I complained to the teacher, but she didn’t even turn to look at what was happening,” the girl said.

Eight children admitted to the Oxford English School in the Laggere area of Bangalore under the RTE Act have complained of being discriminated against.

Three of the children said that their classmates cut tufts of hair during classes but the teachers took no action.

The children’s parents say they have been discriminated in other ways as well.

“Our children haven’t been given the school tie and belt and the school diary. Though we’ve repeatedly asked for it, they keep saying it’s not available as the supplies are over, even if we offer to pay for it,” Reshma Bano, mother of another child, said.

The school management has not issued a public statement on the issue but an association of private schools has said that they will take action against the school.