WHEN CONSENT IS OBTAINED UNDER THREAT OR COERCION, IT IS RAPE

The first loophole that the schools obtained in the matter of Fee Determination in Tamil Nadu Schools was by the Committee’s relaxation that the determined fees will not include fees for any other extracurricular activities, transport, books…etc.  This provision, the school managements made maximum (mis) use of by collecting whatever they felt like, terming them as fees for extra-curricular, smart class, books, etc.

The Fee Determination committee under Justice S.R.Singaravelan has consistently held in the case of several cases that extracurricular activities cannot be compulsory and hence is only optional.  Schools are not to compel parents to accept all their extracurricular activities.  

The District Collector of Coimbatore also has very clearly stated in the minuted meeting conducted on 10.3.2012 with the representatives of the Parents Association as well as the managements of the schools in Coimbatore that extra fees than determined by the Committee should not be collected and if any fees is levied towards any extracurricular activities, it should not be compulsory.

Now, it is reported that various schools are adopting various dirty methods, including threatening the parents that  their children will be failed or asking parents to take their wards out of the schools, if they are not prepared to pay the fees determined by the school in violation of the committee’s decision (read to accept the so called extracurricular activities).

Forcibly getting consent does not make it consensual and hence would qualify to be termed as ‘RAPE’.

We hope the protectors of law will look at it appropriately taking into consideration the safety of young children who are put to test.