A class 7 boy of a reputed private school in Delhi was caught passing notes by his teachers. Nothing out of the ordinary, the teachers thought. Kids do that. But when they saw the notes they were left stunned. The note said:
“I am an illegitimate child. My mother is like Indrani Mukerjea. She likes having sex with many men”
The matter was reported to the Principal who called in the child’s parents. A suspension followed and the boy is now undergoing counseling.
The school understandably wants to hush up the matter. They feel helpless in the situation. How do you tackle something like this?
How do you tell students to not watch news because it can have a detrimental effect on their psyche?
The incident highlights the impact that news has on teenagers and minors.
Most schools encourage the habit of reading newspapers in students but when all the national dailies have salacious details of a woman’s personal life then what?
Ashok Agarwal, senior lawyer and child rights activist who has been working for reform in the education sector feels that not enough attention is given to the impact the media has on young, impressionable minds. The Sheena Bora case is a clear example of how media has crossed all limits, he feels.
“Trial by media has to stop. Media needs to be sensitive to what information and content it puts out. The focus must remain on investigation. A line needs to be drawn, and it will have to be done internally by the media itself,” he says.