Ashok Nagar school principal shunted out after row over pseudoscience event leaves govt red-faced

CHENNAI: Facing backlash from the civil society, media and a small section of the political opposition, the state government swung into action early Friday and transferred the principal of the Government Girl Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar where a self-proclaimed spiritual speaker was caught lecturing on rebirth, sins of the previous birth and teleporting using Vedas among the students in the pretext of motivational speech a few days ago.

Shortly after School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi assured prompt action against ‘whoever’ was responsible for organizing the event promoting pseudoscience and irrational beliefs among government school students in the city, the state school education department issued the transfer orders following a departmental inquiry conducted with the school principal by a committee headed by Mr Kannappan, Director of School Education.

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An order issued by the Director of School Education (Higher Secondary Education) said that R Tamizharasi, Principal of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Ashok Nagar has been transferred to the vacant position of principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Kovilpathagai, Tiruvallur district.

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Though no reason was officially stated for the transfer, the action was believed to be prompted by the conduct of the motivational speech involving a self-proclaimed spiritual speaker a few days ago.