http://www.dailyindia.com/show/150347.php/Humiliations-by-casteist-teacher-force-Dalits-in-Jharkhand-village-to-start-their-own-school
Humiliations by 'casteist' teacher force Dalits in Jharkhand village to start their own school >From our ANI Correspondent Dumka (Jharkhand) June 18,: Dalit villagers in Thadi Village of Jharkhand's Dumka District have started a school on their own, after their children were humiliated by a 'casteist' teacher. In April this year, Dalits belonging to Bhandoch caste started a Bhandoch Middle School, after upper caste teachers and students at a local state-run school allegedly subjected their children to caste bias. The low-castes alleged that neither the District administration nor the police took any action against the erring teachers. "The police station in-charge just spoke to the teacher and his friends and refused to register our complaint. The teacher Subhash was casteist and was biased towards our children. He would call them by derogatory names. When we realised that no action is being taken against him, then we decided to open a school for our children," said Surendra Maholi, who opened the Bhandoch Middle School. It was the beating up of a young boy, Sarun Kumar, by a teacher named Subhash that infuriated the community. "Once when I was drinking water here, Subhash sir came and started calling us by dirty names. He said we would not be allowed to drink water from there and started beating us. I went home crying and told this to my father. When my father came and spoke to sir, he said he would continue to beat us," said Kumar. The education officials said they are investigating the matter and would take strict action if required. "We are investigating the matter and if these charges are proved then we will take stern action against the teacher as per the Dalit Act," said Shiv Narayan Sah, District Education Superintendent. Nearly 50 low-caste children are enrolled in the one-room Bhandoch Middle school. All the schoolteachers and members of the school management are from the low-caste community.
