Teachers join parents in protes against school mgmt

The protest at a city-based school over its alleged dual fee policy and sudden changes in top executives took a new turn today with teachers joining parents, demanding reinstatement of the principal.
About 100 teachers of Bala Vidya Mandir joined protesting parents outside the school today and demanded that Srinivasa Raghavan be re-appointed as Principal after he was replaced by S Sujata by the newly formed School Management Committee.
One of them also held aloft a banner which read: "Life Threat. Honourable CM Jayalalithaa, please save BVM (Bala Vidya Mandir) teachers".
A teacher who did not wish to be named said they held a meeting today among themselves and decided not to enter the school premises until Raghavan was reinstated.

The parents are up in arms after the school allegedly said that students paying fee stipulated by Singaravelan Committee (about Rs 39,000) will be allowed to only attend classes.
A parent said the fee structure was not the only issue."We want the management to bring back Srinivasa Raghavan as Principal."

Another parent had earlier claimed to have received an email from the management that said those willing to pay in excess of Rs 50,000 would be entitled for a host of facilities.
The school had suggested charging higher fees for 59 facilities, including sports, attending annual day and access to library, she said, adding these facilities are as such given by any institution.

However, the school management has denied the charges and expressed willingness to address parents' concerns. It said a new Management Committee had been formed and teachers, parents and others would have representation in it.
It had also said the school never intended to discriminate between students and the aim was to provide "best holistic education" for them.