17-yr-old tainted by fight between mother and school authorities

Rita Ghose
July 6, 2008

Reshma Seth (17), (named changed) a student of Guru Tegh Bahadur School, Manish Nagar, Andheri (W) may have to stay at home unlike her classmates. This was following an altercation that her mother had with the school over tuition fees.
Reshma told Mid-day, “I saw my principal Surender Kaur and her son beat up my mother as teachers caught hold of me. I couldn’t do anything. The harassment started with teachers demanding the tuition fees in front of my classmates. I really felt hurt when they would do that.”
Reshma whose parents want her to be a hairstylist is panicked about her future, as her mother never wants to send her daughter back to the school. Since schools have already re-opened, Reshma’s mother expresses concern over her admission into another school. On being asked about the possible repercussions the event may have on Reshma, Dr Rahul Ghadge, consultant psychiatrist from Kemps Corner said, “In such cases, firstly the child usually is in shock or denial followed possibilities of low self-esteem, depression, and school phobia or an aversion to school. The child may become a loner. There are possibilities of the child turning rebellious, vengeful and abusive with all those around her. Adolescents in such cases may also get into substance abuse. She needs psychotherapy to vent out all her emotions.”
“I am too scared to go back to the school to pick up Reshma’s school leaving certificate, a requirement for admission into a new school. I will wait till my husband returns from London next week,” said the girl’s mother, who added that she will leave no stone unturned to get her daughter admitted into a new school, so that Reshma would not lose a year.s