 The Kumbakonam fire mishap has evoked mixed reactions, ranging from sorrow, shock and sadness to sympathy and indignation over the role of the school teachers and authorities. We asked a number of teachers what they felt over the charge that the teachers had let down the students by fleeing to safety and allowing the kids to fend for themselves. What do teachers have to say about the charge against their colleagues?
Dr V Rajagopalan, faculty,
MCC:
We cannot actually say that. It
is only in the Navy that a law prevails that the captain should leave last. All
those who have been accusing the teachers of failing the students have been
doing it from outside. We do not actually know the intensity and the mood that
prevailed there. It requires extreme courage to do such an act as saving others
during a big disaster. I would not squarely accuse the teachers as culprits. No
decision can be arrived at until the truth is out. What exactly happened is
unknown. But corruption can be said to be the true reason behind the tragedy
which is rooted in all departments.
Able Rajan,
faculty, MCC:
Yes. The teachers certainly
failed the students during the tragedy. You cannot expect infants of class-4 or
class-5 to decide on their own in such situations. They would certainly look up
to the teachers for advice and guidance. And, remember, it was the advice of a
particular teacher to stay indoors while the fire started that is believed to
have taken such a big toll.
Ganesh,
faculty, MCC:
I think there is no perfect
answer to this problem. Because we have not been given the police version as yet
which could lead us to a conclusion in this regard. The media has been fed and
feeding the responses of the witnesses around. But, basically, I believe each
teacher would have given the best to save as many, otherwise the toll of victims
would have been higher, isn't it?
Jojan Job,
faculty, MCC:
This is a very sensitive issue.
Unless the full inquiry report is publicised, none can arrive at a conclusion.
Moreover, we were not at the scene and cannot actually comment upon it openly.
But, the teachers are the ones who take care of children in schools and come
what may, they hold a moral responsibility in this issue.
Subha S,
faculty, MCC:
There has been such a big issue
about the role of teachers in this issue. None is going to think about others
when there is a big life-threatening risk involved. Because the victims have
been children, I think the teachers are being victimised for no fault of theirs.
N
Pandurangan, retired teacher, Govt of Tamil Nadu:
Yes. What the teachers did is a
criminal act. In any situation, a teacher has to lead by example. And in this
case, the teachers were more inclined to take the exit routes than saving the
children. It is a shame on the part of the teachers not to have saved the
children.
Usha S,
teacher, KV-I, Tambaram:
First the teacher had to
safeguard herself. Also, in that situation, she may not have been able to go
back. We cannot blame them wholly but it would have been a case of misguidance
had the students been advised to stay indoors in spite of the fire spreading.
Also, one cannot expect discipline during danger. Training in crisis management
and self-discipline should be inculcated among teachers and students as part of
the drive to prevent such mishaps.
V Usha,
teacher, KV-I, Tambaram:
It is a criminal act to have
failed the students in such a great tragic moment. I feel the pride and serenity
of this profession is at stake after this incident and it would take a long time
to forget what the teachers actually did on that day.
Sadagopan,
teacher, KV-I, Tambaram:
 We cannot come to a conclusion
based on media reports alone. Moreover, the teachers' version over the issue has
still not come. But, I do feel the teachers would have given their 100 per cent
and something else probably prevented them from rescuing the children. May be
the fire would have spread too fast for the teachers to act. But the point that
there were not many casualties among the teachers creates a doubt.
Radha S,
KV-II, Tambaram:
Yes. They did. Because the
victims or those who were inside the building at the start of the fire were
young kids who needed the teacher's direction and guidance. And they were
actually not helped because one teacher seemed to have advised them to stay
inside in spite of the fire. This did no good to anyone except for the teacher
who escaped happily. She should have at least confirmed that the exit gates were
open so as to facilitate movement outside the building. But, in general, the
teachers stayed away from their duty of taking care of the children in their
parents' absence.
Dr N Vijayan,
principal, Zion Matriculation:
Certainly not. No teacher would
leave the students to fend for themselves at the time of distress. She must have
gone down to check what was happening and would have been stopped from returning
because of the intensity of the fire. A teacher is next to God. There is no
punishment needed as this incident has taken place due to ignorance. But, they
should have brought the students down to safety.
Kalyani,
Zion Matriculation:
Teachers did not fail the
students. They too would have panicked and tried desperately to douse the flames
unsuccessfully. I think there is some hidden reason since no teacher would have
done such an act (fleeing to safety).
Esther Prabu,
Zion Matriculation:
No. They did not. Teachers are
like mothers and would have done something to save their wards. The roof
probably fell before they tried to do something.
Lidia, Zion
Matriculation:
I think they did to a certain
extent. They had been a little careless. Lack of common sense and presence of
mind could have been the reason for the mishap.
Jeslin, Zion
Matriculation:
Yes, they did. They should have
carried at least two along while running away from the fire. They failed to
apply their mind and this lack of presence of mind led to so many kids being
consumed by the fire.
Mala K, Zion
Matriculation:
The teacher, who is accused of
ordering the students to be seated in the room, should have actually ordered
them to run out. Also, it is the teachers who should have come out last, after
ensuring that no child is left behind in the classrooms. Therefore, partially or
wholly, they did fail the students.
Gursheet,
Zion Matriculation:
Yes, they did. They should have
done their level best so that at least the casualty would have been less.
Teachers are the parents to the children and should have done what a parent
would have done in a similar case. There was no presence of mind and an eventual
perception of the problem.
Kannagi,
Zion Matriculation:
The teachers certainly failed
the students. Each teacher should have saved at least five children and had it
been done, there would not have been such a big loss of lives. They should have
guided the students to safety.
Rathi,
faculty, SDNB College:
A teacher is like a mother.
Will a mother desert her child to save herself? Surely not. Also, I believe we
cannot come to decisions based on reports in the media.
Dhanalakshmi,
faculty, SDNB College:
Yes, though I believe it was
not a willful act. But there was no presence of mind, such as opening all the
exit gates. They should have stayed there whatever the eventuality. They appear
as cowards and have shown that education can make little difference in such
situations as they were all educated.
Vasanthakumari,
faculty, SDNB College:
Instinctively, they would have
run for their lives but did fail the students by doing so. Children need
guidance at these times as teachers assume the role of parents in school.
T Rukmani,
faculty, SDNB College:
Yes, they did. Though we were
not witness to it, it seems there was one teacher present during the incident.
Teachers were expected to send out the students first. Teachers are next to
parents, and kids are too innocent to have any idea of crisis management. The
moment they saw the fire, the teachers should have doused the flames or asked
the students to vacate the place. There was no presence of mind involved and
their act of fleeing or jumping to safety, for whatever reason, is not
justified.
R Latha,
faculty, SDNB College:
We cannot really comment on
this. As a human being, it is instinctive to flee from danger and problems. A
lot of hue and cry is being raised about the duties of the teachers. The public
is not bothered about such issues when normalcy prevails.
Dhanalakshmi,
faculty, SDNB College:
They did fail. They should have
saved the children first and thought of anything else later. They have the moral
responsibility and should have done the maximum to save the children. Each
teacher should have tried to save at least 10 children on their part.
Vijaya R,
faculty, SDNB College:
They did. They should have done
the maximum (to save the kids). Henceforth, courses on crisis management should
be made mandatory as part of teacher training.
Name
withheld on request:
Yes, they did fail the
students. They should have given priority to the lives of the students and
should have gone to any extreme to save them. They failed as teachers and as
human beings too.
Dr
Jayalakshmi, faculty, SDNB College:
Teachers failed to act as
parents, their primary role while in school. The nature of the job includes
emotional and caretaking roles which was not present in this case. They failed
as human beings. Self-care is certainly important but in this case the victims,
the children, could not do anything on their own as they needed the guidance of
the teachers.
Name
withheld on request:
I don't think so. There is
nothing wrong in seeking safety when one's life is in danger. But in this case
the only problem was there seemed to have been no effort by any teacher to save
a child, as reported in the media. Even the mason sacrificed his life to save
the children - that was a great act.
Name
withheld on request:
 They did fail the students and
the parents too. For, they hold a moral responsibility and failed to deliver
that at the most required hour. They slipped from their responsibilities and
failed to use their common sense.
Name
withheld on request:
We cannot judge everything
based on media reports alone. I believe the teachers would have given the
maximum as I believe this profession carries a lot of responsibilities and
commitment. In a crisis, escape is important and the teachers would have done
the same, not before trying to save a few unsuccessfully. The shrieks and
screams of the young, innocent children would have melted any stone-hearted
person. May be their attempts failed.
S Krishnan,
former faculty (college name withheld):
I strongly believe that the
teachers in this case failed in their duty. They not only betrayed the students
but the parents too when they jumped out to safety. Though we receive media
information alone on this issue, it is quite clear that the teachers had made
little effort to save the children. The management also is a culprit in this
case as it had not perceived the crisis and worked accordingly.
S Vasantha,
former lecturer, Holy Cross College, Trichy:
I don't think the teachers
actually failed the students. I certainly believe the teachers would have given
their best to save the children but in vain. Also, the human nature is to flee
during such mishaps and disasters. Had common sense prevailed during that time,
the casualty would have been less. The teachers would have pressed the panic
button and would have been restrained from doing anything to save the children.
(C S Sathish Anand writes: Many
persons, whom I met, declined to speak on the issue as they said there was no
clear or exact news on the tragedy. Some of them expressed their opinion but
didn't want it to go online.)
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