Saturday, June 12, 2010

Price Avisha and Adhishree paid for fighting fee hike battle of Parents!!!


Adhishree passed the VIII grade examination with good grades. The teacher’s remark in the report card is:
‘Adhishree is a sports enthusiast who has worked hard. She is an intelligent child who has the potential to enhance her performance’

14 May, 2010 after taking the cheque for Rs. 33075 for the first term of IX grade
19 May, 2010 encashing it
28 May, 2010 issuing books and essentials
2 June 2010 evening just a day before the reopening of the school, Adhishree’s parents receive a letter regarding the cancelation of her admission.
3 June 2010 schools reopens

The school has given the following 3 points as reasons for canceling Adhishree’s admission for IX grade (letter attached).

Reason 1: For filing a false complaint and unwarranted allegations against the management
Reason 2: For writing a letter holding the Principal responsible for books lost in the school
Reason 3: For participating and leading Morchas against the Principal








Background
28 Mar, 2008: Fee Hike case registered with 1000+ Vibgyor parents signatures filed with the High Court by Avisha Kulkarni, Sanjita Prasad, Balachandran Unni, Prashant Basrur and Vishal Ruia in representative capacity.

3 July, 2009: As per the Court directives, Deputy Director, Education Department, issues order to reduce fees by nearly Rs. 20,000 (see document in the blog).

School defies the order. Asks parents to pay the original hiked fee structure. Avisha persists with the Education Department to force the school to implement the order. Edu. Dept issues letter in the name of ‘Avisha and parents’ to pay the reduced fees.

School demands the original hiked fees. Parents protest outside the school. All parents are requested by Dy Director’s order to abstain from paying the hiked fees. Yet, every parent pays the original hiked fees except Avisha.

Avisha going by the Court orders and not paying the hiked fees angers the management Avisha starts getting calls.


Reason 1 - Explanation

22-23 July, 2009: Avisha starts getting tip-off calls from reliable source close to the management about threats to her life and expelling the child from the school.

24 July, 2009: As a law abiding citizen, with a proof of support, Avisha brings this to the notice of the Police by writing a letter (see below).

- This is the letter which is now being used as a “false and unwarranted complaint to police” to expel Adhishree.
- Expelling of Adhishree as tipped by the caller (and mentioned in the letter to the police) has indeed come true.
- Do you still believe that the complaint was false and unwarranted? And if they thought it was false and unwarranted Why did they not send a defamation notice to Avisha then and there or why did they not remove Adhishree the then or after she passed 8th std? Why admission was given for 9th std? What happened between 28th May to 2nd June that school had to expel her?


12 Aug, 2009: After investigations, the police did not register any complaint, cognizable or non-cognizable but wrote a letter to Avisha on 12 Aug, 2009 informing her that Mr. Kerawalla was summoned to the police station for enquiry and was cautioned against not doing any such act which might result in a law and order problem. Avisha treated it as a closed chapter.


Points to be noted:
- The letter is a year old. Why school reacted so late by sacking Adhishree?
- What is it that management wants Avisha to withdraw when there is no complaint registered?
- The school obviously had no problem with the above letter for almost a whole year which is why it granted admission to Adhishree in the IX Standard and accepted her fees/gave her books and essentials
- Do you still think the way school expelled Adhishree is right? And innocent child deserves this?


As parents are questioning why Adhishree continued in the school despite the threat?

Avisha’s view point on this:

“My daughter was enjoying her routine in the school, happy with the friends and well settled for the last 6 years. Also, I strongly believed that any educational institution will never stoop to the level of taking parents’ battle to the children.

But since the calls were persistent, as a concerned mother I thought of bringing this to the notice of the police. Did I do any wrong?

“Police assurance of safety, my regard for education system and my eternal optimism never once prompted me to uproot Adhishree from the school. Also my legal battle taken up on behalf of 1000+ parents never allowed me to give up and run away from my responsibility but to face it, fight it and fix it”

“Some parents and the management think all this I’m doing is to establish my political career. Yes…I dream to bring change in the existing corrupt system but by using legal, ethical and moral means and certainly not using my daughter as a tool. If I were to gain your support for my political furtherance, even after working day and night for the fee hike case, why I never became the visual face of this battle and gained mileage out of it?”

“Today, I’m deeply hurt because, like all of you love your children, my beloved daughter is paying the price of my legal battle of bringing justice to all of you. My daughter and I have been singled out and I feel it is a lone battle for us. But even today, I will not give up the values that I believe in and which I am definitely passing on to Adhishree ‘fight for justice and never give up, however difficult the path may be’. I will never let her have this feeling that for no fault of hers, she was labeled as an expelled child and as a mother I never did anything to get her DIGNITY back. She is so very special to me, She is bright, she is intelligent and she has brought laurels to the school and I owe her, her happiness which is being with her friends in the school which she always believed to be hers.”

“Everyone is telling me, shift the child to another school, yes why not if Adhishree is happy to do that..but can anyone tell and convince Adhishree to believe that, yes, school which she believes is hers is a threat to her? Answer her when she asks me’but Mummy I behave well in the school, I study well, I respect my teachers, I am friendly with everyone still then why I have to leave?’

As grown ups when we have to leave our jobs and join new one is it easy for us?”

“Those accusing me of what kind of a parent I am… ask Adhishree, yes, please ask because she really is waiting for someone to talk to her and not alienate her and her mother as a threat to other children’s safety…..Me and Adhishree sincerely thank all those who are trying to get justice for Adhishree”

“Dear Students and Parents, I am a mother who worries not only about my child but concerned about all children’s welfare.
- I’m being blamed for the protest by MNS which I have absolutely no link to. Messages linking me to the protest has been sent by the school to all of you. Has anyone taken the trouble to question the management , ‘on what basis this allegation has been made?’
- I’m being blamed for possible withdrawal of NOC. NOC withdrawal is based on the non-compliance of Government orders by the management and has nothing to do with Adhishree.

I’m ready to face all 2000 parents, at any given time and answer your queries. But whether you would want to do the same with the management is your prerogative”

Reason 2: Explanation
Attached is the letter submitted by Adhishree’s parents to the school. This is self-explanatory.

Reason 3: Explanation
If the school does not comply with the Court orders, parents gather outside the school to protest. Is it not our fundamental right? And many parents were part of this. Why Avisha is being singled out?

11 comments:

  1. Its so stupid to believe that all this Avisha would do to fulfill her political ambitions. How could someone think like this? Would some other parent use their kid to get their goals, if not how could they believe the cooked up stories by school....

    From attached papers above, everything is crystal clear. Its out of vengeance, the school has removed Adhishree from school.Avisha in her two years long fight, has never used her kid in this. Its the school who involved the kind in their legal fight, because they were unable to win it over the other way.

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  2. There is a hearing on this tuesday - come over and witness for your self... who is david and who is goliath!

    it will be an eyeopener...

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  3. can a politician be trusted..no..and a wannabe politician ..NEVER

    If the lady had nothing to do with the MNS - why was she stannding there with them when the protests were on?

    Hope the kid is taken back to the same school.

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  4. Lot of us parents who have been with the school now since long, know quite well the background and the modus operandi of the school management, especially Kerawala.

    The school has sent out an mass sms to all parents claiming that the MNS vandalism was engineered on behalf of Avisha and her group. I just want to put it on record that Rustom Kerawala is a crook and a white faced liar. In all probability he has engineered it himself (since common sense says that he has most to gain) or just used this incident as an opportunity to gain sympathy of parents and courts. Imagine the school going around trying to tell parents that they love our children more than we love our own children !!! The thought that Kerawala and his team loves our children more than us, sends the CREEP down my spine!

    As we know from our dealings with him in the past, Kerawala is utterly unscruplous and will stoop to any level to get his way. He is building his business empire and does not clearly care a damn as to how many parents or children are trampled underfoot. Education, of course does not stand a chance.
    Morals, Values & Ethics is definitely nowhere in his agenda.

    A man who as per his own boast during the Lina Asher fight, has 'managed' the education dept, charity commissioner, MHADA, cops and politicians is now actually blaming a bunch of parents for what is an admission related fracas
    Apparently the teachers
    It is disgusting that our children have to go to a school whose Trustee (how ironic that this word is associated with Kerawala) is such a base and despicable character.

    Sad to note that parents are so shortsighted that they cannot see the diffeernce between the truth and blatant falsehood...

    The school still does not have any satisfactory response as to why they did not expel Adhishree last year when the police complaint was actually filed and does the stupidity after duly collecting the fees from her and even issuing her the books.
    Why are the parents NOT asking the school to come out clean of this ???

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  5. wow

    isnt it ironic that people send their children to the same school which is run by (so called) unscruplous, crooks and white faced liars..did they not know this before the Dr. Avisha issue came in..or like other people are now using this adhishree incident as a shoulder to fire their guns.

    it is really disgusting to see such comments by parents who send their children to this school - these are the same parents who clap and cheer on annual days and sports days..these are the same parents who fight to park their vehicles while dropping the child to school or picking them up...and now these are the same parents who probably back home talking ill about the school in front of their kids..wow

    i mean whats this ruckus all about - god dammit..one would divorce their spouses if they are so agitated with them..this is just a school man..u r not forced in any which way to send your child there...take them out..send them to a better school..why ruin their future in such a so called shitty school.

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  6. Somebody who seemingly cannot recognize/identify 'the lady' should restrict himself/herself from making frivolous comments and claims about 'the lady standing with MNS workers'
    Here we are discussing about a kid that needs to get back to school and not unwarranted claims to dilute the issue!

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  7. Huge respect for you and i am pretty sure your daughter will someday recognize and realize how strong her mother is.... I think you might not be able to see it in short term, but in long term this will really result in your children becoming strong and confident in this bullish world and i guess thats the max that every mother wishes for her children.

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  8. You did a great job...definitely one day your daughter will realize your fight for justice. May God bless you..

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  9. This school is in lime light from past few months for many issues...The govt should review the management of this school as looks like the management is full of criminal minded people and money minded businessmans focusing more on money and criminal activities instead of focusing on Study and career growth of the students.

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  10. It is unfortunate that we need to fight for our rights with the system, the accountability and passion for education has taken a backstage and what seems to be taking humungous strides is education institutions as money minting business.
    The government sure needs to look at this as priority issue and bring in strong laws.
    All the best to you & your daughter.

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