Activists decry Tamil Nadu's move mandating police clearance for guest speakers at schools
Per the reports, the education department has recently announced that clearance from the police department is mandatory while inviting persons of any capacity to address students.
CHENNAI: While the DMK-led government has been critical of the Union government for thrusting different policies on states and has advocated ‘education’ to be brought under the state list, the recent announcement made by the TN School Education Department has raised eyebrows among stakeholders for going against its preaching, finding it authoritarian in nature.
Per the reports, the education department has recently announced that clearance from the police department is mandatory while inviting persons of any capacity to address students. This applies to all schools in the state, including private and CBSE schools.
Incidentally, such an announcement was made after the pseudoscience speech by a self-proclaimed spiritual man, Mahavishnu, in two Chennai government schools went viral in September. His speech sparked outrage among the public, and questions were raised about how the speaker was allowed to address students. The police clearance move has attracted condemnation from several stakeholders, including child rights activists and educationalists. They argue that besides being authoritarian, the department aims to centralise its functioning overall – ironically mirroring the Centre, which the DMK government opposes.
People’s Watch, an organisation working on human rights and education, stated in a letter to the government, “The education department’s decision raises grave concerns about the state’s democratic values. The incident of Mahavishnu had cast a shadow over the integrity of civic freedom, democratic practices and free expression in schools.”
Executive director of People’s Watch Henri Tiphagne told DT Next, “There should be no policing in education. By making such an announcement, the department has exposed that it does not trust its teachers and officials. Instead of involving police, the department should conduct scrutiny within its department.” A child rights activist, under the condition of anonymity, pointed out that there is right-wing infiltration within the education department. The activist added, “The education department seems keen on centralising its functioning. Involving police and having to clear every single person before addressing the students of a school is against democracy and is micro-management at its finest.” The stakeholders appeal to immediately revoke the police intelligence clearance mandate for school events and reinforce schools as spaces for learning and dialogue, free of undue surveillance.
Despite multiple attempts, the school education department higher officials and secretary did not respond when contacted.
