I admitted my son Venkatesh -10 year old - into a leading school in these parts two years ago. The first year he did very well in academics and all competitions and went on to win a cash prize also. But this academic year some jealous teachers whoose children also study in the same school started manipulating marks and competition results.
   
Complaining made the matters worse as they started troubling in other ways - cause my son is also very playful and active. They made their children steal his charts  and assignments and simply punished him etc. I kept quiet hoping everything would settle down. Just before his annual exams which he was attending though his health was not good - the main teacher Fathima slapped him hard for no proper reason. My husband gave the teacher Vani who was sheilding teacher Fathima  a big warning. These teachers contacted a lady tutor  who gave extra coaching to my son in one of the subjects at her house for fees. This tutor's sister -in-law works in the school concerned. She feigned illness to collude with Vani and Fathima - just before the exam.
   
They used this pretext to bring down his grades to a very bad extent. My son has lost confidence in his performance - I saw him leafing through a fortune telling book to know his grades the next academic year - I feel betrayed especially by the tutor who had no reason to collude with the jealous teachers. It hurts and aches and I am not able to concentrate on my work. I cannot leave the school which is otherwise very good. The Principal gave us many assurances about the future but he does not seem to  have done anything concrete in this issue. Will my son's performance come back to normal ? Is there any more trouble ahead ?
Please could you guide ?

I do not feel to read for this ..its lots of mixed emotions ..

On another level - can your son switch schools? If he is harrased in such ways is this a environment that he needs to be in?

I also feel your son is a typical 10 year old prakster - not saying he is bad ..am saying he is who he is and this teacher is mean because she is who she is.

I am American  so for me to say completely with the cultural difference is hard..........in America if the teacher slaps a child ...that teacher serves jail time .. it is a serious offense - I have to sign papers every year stating I UNDERSTAND that this is Punishment that is not accepted!

I do however believe some of our education is wrong .. When I was growing up I got swatted on the butt for being a stinker and YES i remember it very well and I minded that teacher after doing so.  

If you are uncomfortable with the teacher and the outcome of your child .....then change schools!
If his mental is hurt then he will loose desire to go to school then that school is not doing him justice!

his grades will continue down hill if he is not comfortable in his environment and this school is not for him.

If you would like to discuss further i feel you should post in the family part ..please pm me and let me know where you posted at so I can follow up.  Can I know what are you are living? IF you want to send in a private pm then please do so.  Maybe I can help find him another school?

Deborah

Hello Deborah,
           I have read your opion which is correct in its own place. I live in India and here teachers do not serve any jail term for behaving bad with children. In fact the place where I live in has only a couple of really good schools and this school is good because my daughter 16 year old has performed very well too. It is unfortunate that I got stuck with this teacher Fathima who works by colluding with other primary section teachers. She goes to any extent to manipulate. My child is very active and therefore gives many occasions where a teacher may get irritated. But the extent  she goes to is too much because her daugher also studies in the same class. She is not the teacher of my sons section and has no reason to be there let alone slap him and contact people near my home,his tutor - who also seems to have no conscience. The teachers here think that the children are left to there mercy and they have all the the authority. May be they do - I have faced so.
     In view of this I have taken steps - changing the tutor, helping him with subjects I can handle, and teaching him to pray to control his overactiveness and make him more responsible.
      Thanks for your concern
                                                                                   shree