GURUGRAM: A Class VII student of a well-known Gurugram school threatened to rape his teacher and her daughter in an online post. The daughter studies with him in the same class. In another incident, a Class VIII student of the same school sent a mail to a teacher, asking her out for a candlelight date and sex.

Both the incidents happened last week. The teacher, threatened with rape, has since returned to school but her daughter is still too traumatised to get back.

TOI is withholding the name of the school to protect the identity of the teachers, and the minors.

“This is an incident involving a lower middle school student allegedly indulging in an offensive and highly objectionable cyber prank involving a teacher. A thorough investigation was carried out and stern action was taken, including suspension along with mandated counselling. The school has a zero-tolerance policy towards such acts,” the school said in a statement.

But child welfare committee chairperson Shakuntala Dhull said that she has taken suo motu cognizance of the incidents.

“A notice will be sent to the school and children. They will be called and asked about the entire incident. Counselling sessions will be taken of the school authorities, including the teachers and kids,” she said.

Most principals TOI spoke to felt these were not just isolated cases in one school but part of a bigger social malaise and parents need to play a proactive role at home.

“Today, kids are exposed to so many gadgets that they tend to get aggressive. We don’t know what they are watching or the sites they are visiting,” said Ankita Makkar, principal, HDFC School.

“The child must have been uncomfortable, secluded at home, not able to talk to anyone. These are the outbursts of such students who are emotionally not strong. They are not brought up in the right manner by the parents,” said Arti Chopra , principal of Amity International School.

Some others spoke of making counselling part of the curriculum. “There should be policy-level intervention by the government and all stakeholders, wherein experts counsel students as part of the curriculum and an open dialogue is started with this generation regarding handling of issues, which our conservative society wants to brush under the carpet,” said Sumeet Nath, administrator, institutions, Baptist Church Trust Association (BCTA).

“Teachers are very satisfied in teaching good and bad touch to students but don’t know how to handle kids. Most of the schools in the city don’t have proper counsellors. There are no counselling sessions for teachers. A different approach is needed to teach students today. Teachers should move beyond books and try to know what is going on in the mind of the child,” said Shweta Sharma, clinical psychologist, Columbia Asia Hospital.

Radhika Radhakrishnan, counselling psychologist, Prarambh, said, “We need to control what the kids are watching, keep a tab on their internet activity. Parents need to get involved.”

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