My child’s trip to school on a rainy day

Today, Aug 14, my son Ismail was at the gates of his Patshala  Montessori  School sharp at 9 AM. It was pouring; my child was walking towards the open gate when it was shut on his face. I tried to yell from my scooter, to take him in, he was on time but my words fell on dear ears. I came on the door and tired argue that it’s pouring, don’t be harsh, he was not late,  at least you could consider this before shutting the gate. However, no reason seems to convince the learned lady and my call for compassion was sacrificed on the alter of discipline. The highhandedness of the school staff made my child cry. He was getting drenched in rains, listening to the arguments. I thought there was no point to stand in rains and  accepted the marching orders with all the pain and agony it deserves. If the doors had been shut before we arrived, I could have accepted it as a part of discipline, but the way the discipline was enforced on a rainy day, made a mockery of Montessori Method of education. I was wondering, if Lady Montessori was on door how she would have reacted. Today the behavior of the school staff was disgusting. It no way it lived to the ideals for which this school professes and attracts parents. My child loves his school.  Every day he is keen to go to his school, even on holidays he wants to go to his school. Today was a rainy day and we did not want to send him to school. However, he was keen to go to school. He traveled to the school in a two wheeler in raincoat.  But the treatment he got at the school made him sad. He was quite depressed while returning home. He slept all day in dismay. In evening he narrated the humiliation at his school several times to me. As a teacher I feel very upset about this episode. As I was part of the proceedings, I even broached the idea of going to the police station or to the court to seek reprieve from this mental agony. However, I have other things to do, so I take this in a stride. However, it does not stops me from thinking, what is the purpose of education if it does not teach compassion, forbearance and gratitude? None of these was sold today at the gates of Patshala Montessori School. On the contrary my three year old child got the lesson on how be cruel in life. It was really a sad day for my child’s trip to his favorite school, that too on a rainy day. I hope and pray that the school hears my cry and do not hurt any child like this in future. However I am not sure that memories like this will erase from the child’s mind soon.
SYEDA &SYED proud parents of Syed Ali Ismail