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The Star’s initial online version of the teacher insulting Indian community was very revealing – with quotes on the exact words used by the teacher published. However, in today’s online and print version, a more sanitized version appears. I reproduce both for comparison:
Initial Online Version (yesterday) (alternative link here):
About 500 angry parents and other members of the Indian community gathered outside a secondary school here on Monday to protest racial slurs and abuse allegedly uttered by a teacher against Indian students recently.
The crowd began gathering outside SMK Telok Panglima Garang’s main entrance near here at noon and dispersed about two hours later.
The headmaster was on leave, so some teachers accepted on his behalf copies of police reports made by a Form Four student and a Form Five student. According to the police reports, the female history teacher had allegedly called Indian students in a Form Four and a Form Five class ‘keling pariah’, ‘Negro’, ‘black monkeys’ as well as other
derogatory names.
The teacher had also purportedly said that ‘Indians came from dogs’ and the community members were stupid and prone to thuggery and thievery.
The police reports also alleged that the teacher had said that Indians were the ‘children of prostitutes’ and the community’s youths ‘did not have testicles’ on July 17 and 22, and had also purportedly beaten up some Indians students.
The Form Four student also alleged in his report that the teacher had written the word ‘keling pariah’ on the board and lost her cool when the Indian students in the class told her that they did not like being called names.
Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs secretary Gunaraj George, who was among those who handed over the police reports, said that exposure to such abuse would only breed hatred and racial polarisation in schools.
“No one in his or her right frame of mind would have said these things. Given this, the best option would be for the teacher to be assigned to a desk job and not be allowed to be near youngsters anymore,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong said the schoolteacher might be sacked if the allegations proved true.
The allegations were serious as no one was allowed to insult others, especially in a school environment, said Dr Wee, who was asked to comment on the incident when visiting a nine-year-old accident victim at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru.
He added that the ministry was awaiting an official report before taking any action.
Today’s print and online version:
BANTING: About 500 angry parents and other members of the Indian community gathered outside a secondary school here yesterday to stage a protest over racial slurs and abuse allegedly uttered by a teacher against Indian students recently.
The crowd began gathering outside SMK Telok Panglima Garang’s main entrance near here from noon and dispersed about two hours later.
The headmaster was on leave so some teachers accepted on his behalf copies of the police reports made by a Form Four student and a Form Five student.
The police reports also alleged that the teacher had beaten some students.
Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs secretary Gunaraj George, who was among those who handed over the police reports, said that such abuse would only result in breeding hatred and racial polarisation in schools.
Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong said the teacher might be sacked if the allegations were proven true.
The allegations were serious as no one was allowed to insult others especially in school environment, said Dr Wee, who was asked to comment on the incident while visiting a nine-year-old accident victim at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru.
He added that the ministry was awaiting an official report.
Meanwhile, NST also have picked up the story:
The Education Ministry has ordered an investigation into allegations that a teacher in Klang made racist remarks at her students.
Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong said if the allegations were true, action would be taken against the teacher. “It is not proper for educationists to treat their students differently according to their race and to speak to them in such a manner,” he said.
The teacher at SMK Panglima Garang in Klang was alleged to have used racial slurs and verbally abused several students here last month.
The abuses allegedly happened on separate occasions in two classes. Upset by the incidents, the students sent a complaint note to the headmaster but claimed no action was taken.
In the first incident on July 17, the teacher allegedly entered a Form Five class and apart from calling them a derogatory word, also accused them of being gangsters and thieves.
The teacher was also alleged to have ordered the boys to do push-ups. When some of them could not do it, she allegedly stamped on their backs.
The second incident allegedly happened five days later in a Form Four class where she taught history. She told the students that she “wanted to test their level of patience” and began abusing them with derogatory words. She even wrote the words on the blackboard.
Two students lodged police reports against the teacher. The situation turned tense yesterday when about 500 parents and members of the public gathered in front of the school. Holding placards, they demanded that the students be treated fairly and that action be taken against the teacher.
A delegation of five parents then met the school’s senior assistant. The headmaster was not present while the teacher concerned was said to be on medical leave.
A member of the delegation said the matter had been referred to the Education Department for further action.
Stomped on their backs? Wow…that is beyond words already. We may have an extremist who is threat to national unity. After a thorough psychiatric evaluation, the person should be locked away for a long long time.
Wee Ka Siong is left to handle this. Where is Education Minister Hishamuddin?
