These days Online classes are becoming horror for teachers as they’re facing abuses, rape, and sexual threats in the middle of the ongoing lectures. And it would be wrong to say that the problem is just being faced by female teachers but male teachers too.
Here are some instances:
At a Private school in Delhi, a 35-year-old teacher was just getting used to conducting online classes when an unidentified user started sharing his screen on Zoom (video conferencing app).
To her complete disbelief, a porn video was playing. It took her a couple of minutes to understand what happened with a realization that with her there were 20 other students.
“The worst day of my life. I was Rattled, didn’t know what to do. So ended the call in hurry” says the High school teacher, expressing about her horrific experience.
Another Political Science teacher from Haryana teaching grade 12th was sent a request by an unknown user proclaiming himself as The Mastermind. Thinking of him to be ” another student trying to act all cool and pull yet another prank” she let him in.
She barely even started when the user started hurling choices of misogynist abuses. Threatened to invade her house and molest her. Also advised her to stop teaching.
“Dimaag kyu kharaab kar rahi hai padhake, band krde” (why are you troubling us, stop teaching at once.) She quickly ended the class and didn’t return to teaching for a month.
Schools moving to online teachings in lockdown from march, core subjects like Maths, Science, English were taught online.
With the extension in lockdown, it meant schools won’t re-open anytime soon meant “PE classes would also be conducted online” said Robi, Physical Education teacher from West Bengal.
During one such online class, a masked man entered the class and started making fun of PE teachers. “At first I thought it was parent, but soon he started to mimic me as I speak in Bengali” said Robi.
Asked him to leave but he threatened to break my bones “teri main taang tod dunga… yeh dole shole kisi aur ko dikha”.
On been asked why students do such things, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Fortis Hospital, Akanksha Pandey apart from venting out frustrations students could also be receiving validation from other fellow students which is why they indulge in such behaviors.
