Chennai: Headmistress seeks transfer fearing for life

Chennai: The headmistress of a Chennai middle school has moved the Madras high court seeking transfer as she apprehends danger to her life after she made a sexual harassment complaint against the then secretary and current president of a school committee. The headmistress has approached the Madras high court to direct the authorities to transfer her to another school in or around the city.

The petitioner said she has been working as headmistress from 2009 in R.J.R. middle school, an aided, recognised private school. The previous school secretary was sexually harassing her. Therefore, she filed a complaint with the police against him as there was no forum or any committee in the institution at that point.

After investigation, the police filed a final report before the George Town court. Similarly, another teacher filed a complaint against him for sexual harassment and the police, after investigation, filed a final report. The secretary was remanded to 15 days in Puzhal jail in 2013. Justice D. Hariparanthaman has issued notice to the directorate of elementary school education, the assistant elementary school education officer and secretary of R.J.R. middle school in Chennai.

The matter has been posted after eight weeks for further hearing of the petition filed by the headmistress. Since the directorate of elementary school education wanted the secretary to be removed, he was asked to step down. He managed to bring his wife in as his replacement. Thereafter, he became the president of the school committee. Prejudiced by the headmistress’ complaint against the secretary, his wife suspended her on August 22, 2013. She approached the high court, which stayed the suspension order.

The school secretary issued another suspension order on January 22, 2014. The victim once again approached the Madras high court which ordered notice and the matter has been pending. As the earlier stay order was not complied with, she filed a contempt application and while it was pending, she was allowed to be reinstated in service on June 9, 2014.

She alleged that thereafter, she was subjected to unnecessary harassment by the secretary and her husband. That included locking the toilet which she uses and removing her chairs. “My life in the current school is always in danger,” she said.

She also sent a representation to the directorate of elementary school education for a transfer but there was no response.