St. Benedict’s LP School in Sleevamala, Idukki district, Kerala, is facing a controversy following a caste-based discriminatory incident involving a six-year-old Dalit student, Pranav Sijoy. On November 13, Pranav, a second-grade student, was humiliated when his class teacher, Maria Joseph, ordered him to clean up the vomit of a sick classmate. The teacher had initially instructed the entire class to cover the vomit with sand, but later singled out Pranav, demanding that he clean it up. Despite his reluctance and fear of scolding, Pranav complied, with classmates watching, and one offering to help, only to be dismissed by the teacher.
Pranav’s mother, Priyanka Soman, was unaware of the incident until November 20, when she learned about it during a conversation with another parent. Shocked, she approached the school principal, who confirmed the incident but only suggested a warning for the teacher. Priyanka, dissatisfied with this response, escalated the matter by filing a written complaint with the Assistant Education Officer (AEO). However, the AEO stated that their authority to take action was limited due to the school being an aided institution.
“The management seems indifferent to the gravity of the situation,” said Priyanka. “The principal merely suggested a warning, but this is outright caste discrimination. My child was humiliated in front of his classmates. How can such a teacher remain in the classroom?”
“Pranav is now afraid of attending school. We worry about how this will affect his confidence and education in the future,” Priyanka said.
Priyanka, deeply concerned about the impact on her son’s well-being, filed a formal police complaint on Friday, seeking justice.
“This is a traumatic experience for a six-year-old,” she said. “The teacher had no right to force him into such a degrading act when the school employs cleaning staff for such tasks. This is sheer negligence and casteism.”
Local activists and parents have criticized the education department and the school management for their inadequate response, urging a thorough inquiry and stronger action.
Dr. Rehna Raveendran, an anti-caste activist, pointed out that incidents like these are often underreported in minority-run educational institutions in Kerala due to the lack of grievance redressal mechanisms and fear of harassment from the management.
The school management has yet to comment on the complaint.
