Student is forced to commit suicide

From your description, I gather that the girl jumped from the two-storey building because of the fear that she had, not because the principal forced her into doing it. Or maybe I interpreted it incorrectly. Do let me know if I am synthesizing the information correctly. Anyway, the issue of speaking in mother tongue languages is also quite rampant in my country, Malaysia. In school, we are only allowed to speak in Bahasa Malaysia (our national language) or English. Quite a large proportion of schools have Chinese students whose mother tongue is Chinese/Mandarin language. So, Chinese students like me are disallowed from speaking in Chinese/Mandarin. If we do, or punishment is that we have to pay $1 to the teacher who spots us talking in our mother tongue. Honestly speaking, although I think the school authorities do have a good intention in mind, I don't think doing this is a good idea. We know that students can be rebellious and prohibiting it will only make them more eager to break the rules. Besides, if they really are not good in Bahasa Malaysia or English, forcing them to speak it won't help them to get better in those languages because their heart is not open to improving. I guess the best thing that schools can do is to encourage students to use English etc. but not to force them to use the language. Using a softer option will be more likely to win students over.

Hi Shibam, Teachers and other school authorities must be conscious and sensitive enough in implementing certain rules and standards in the school. it must not create negative feelings of fear and worries for students. it will be hard for them to process any strong reaction from teachers. this is unacceptable and the school must be answerable for this.

hi shibham thats a terrible thing to do to a child that young, as it will not help her to learn English better, I am glad she was saved but that school authority should be punished in some way. I think that it is a good thing to learn English but also she should not be stopped from using her mother tongue, although I do see the schools point of constant u se of English as we have that problem with mexican people who are here illegally , the parents will refuse to learn English yet the kids learn it in school so the kids have to translate all the time for the parents and they want to live here. I think it should be that the students learn English yes, but also keep their native assamese. being bilingual always helps when you grow up as often you need to use more than one language.What I think should be done is to be gentle not cruel but do insist that the children speak English when in the school as otherwise they are going to forget a lot of what they are taught in English their native tongue they already know,just that the teachers not be cruel, and not punish or scare the children that way . what is wrong with having the child speak both languages? learning is always good.

we were not allowed to speak our mother tongue as well during school days as we were supposed to only use Malay and English in schools ~ but of course when we are in the company of other friends who know our languange we do chat in our mother tongue .. wow, i remember us talking non stop like a bullet train .. On the incident of this this girl .. she must be really scared of whichever 'punishement' that was advised to her that she did not dare to face the concequences Usage of mother tongue - i beleive there are schools with the 'medium' in the language and there are other schools with "english" as the maind medium ~ if you want the child to master in english they have to sacrifice those 7~8 hours in school to master the language

This subject of speaking English only is very old, when I was in High School in 1952 they had signs in the hall ways that said only English be spoken in school, two reasons, one so that everybody was able to speak and practice English was Important as English was becoming the dominate language in the world, before English it was of course French, number two when anybody speaks in they're native tongue, a lot of people who don't understand, think they are talking about them,it is consider rude, there for we all speak one language or we don't speak at all in public, do I make myself clear?

hello shibham, for me its okay to learn english for it will really help us a lot. but i don't agree in prohibiting our mother language just to learn it. i guess there should be balance in everything and there's a time for everything. like here in our place, some school really encourage their children to speak in english & there are even some areas where they should speak in english...the school just do it to train the children and make them comfortable using the language...but never forced them to do so i think. what happen in your place is kinda alarming & i believe that there's still some other factors that forced the young girl to do so... maybe she's very pressured with the situation & the scoldings of the principal. i hope the principal talk to her in better & nice way. maybe this young girl do have some other problems that also needs some attention... good thing that the young girl didn't die & she's fine now. i hope this will be a wake up call with the authorities in that school & hope not to happen again.

I dont see the problem if its not during class/lesson time and its on recreation time. Even then, if the teacher scolded her that bad to scare her that much theres something wrong there. I think this is way outta hand.

What was she so afraid of? This situation seems a bit extreme. Are the consequences really that severe for speaking this language? This is something that could not happen in the states or there would be a free speech protest.

i dont understand why your mother launguage would not use in this school.what school authority do it seems too excessive to get rid of mother lauguage.i think whatever learn lauguage,the mother lauguage is most importatant.at least.our country still exist and we should develop our culture with mother lauguage.not using other lauguage replace,what school authority do it is too sad and not let people understand.

Hi shibham! To encourage students to speak english inside school premises is somehow good... for the more we talk english the more we learn `and get use to it... Talking english is a skill that can be improved with constant practice... and I understand why some schools have this kind of policy for the students. However, scolding the student that much and humiliating them in front of others is not a good way to teach or correct the students especially for young kids... I remember, during my elementary days, my school has this policy also, and once caught there will be a penalty or a fine (small amount)... then all the money collected will be divided and distributed equally to all the students (per classroom).

As a student body, schools should be encouraging not demoralising. That is very sad. I hope the girl will not have any trauma and loose interest in studying. I am happy to say, that in my country, a multi-racial country, English is our first language and mother tongue is our second language. All students are encourage to speak language as well as learn other races' language. Like, my son has to stay one hour, once a week, to learn Chinese. Not compulsory but good to get along with other races here.

wow! It sounds really stupid what they have done from the school authority. Because I think we all should talk on our mother language at school and on every public place, and in my country there is also a law, which forbid the students to talk on some different language than Bulgarian, only in the foreign languages classes we are allowed to talk on the foreign language!

This is so sad. it's unbelievable that people would push her to this point. and im also surprised she didnt ask for help with it. maybe if she did she wouldnt had to have done this to herself. she is missed by so many.

Hi! I think every one should speak in their mother language whenever they want. It is the language of the heart. If classes in this school are in english it is ok, but relationship talks and non scholar comments should be allowed. How scary is this principal to children that she prefered to die than to accept whatever punishment the principal would give her. I think she should no longer be in charge and some one more caring should. But well, I'm not from that place, but that is my opinion. Very interesting that you shared this with us. Libna

A school should be a fun place for learning and the school authorities should not be too tough on students who speaks in their mother's tongue. But it should be made compulsory for all students to speak in English during English language class so they can be fluent in this language.

It doesn't sound to me as if she was forced. She made a wrong choice out of fear. I can understand the concept of language immersion. You learn it better, of course. But it seems to me that there should be places where the native language is allowed, like at meals, in the restrooms, on personal time. I'd say the ruling is a bit too harsh.

I think it's ok to practice any language that they are teaching the children but no ones mother tongue should be banned in their own country. Of course we want to learn other languages but our own languages should not be forgotten either. There are a lot of lost languages and I think it's a shame.

Wow up until I read this discussion, I had no idea this was going on. I think that as people we have the right to speak in whatever language we want. As long as the girl is speaking English to her teachers, there should be no problem. I think that there is also a chance that there in an underlying problem here. I can't understand why this girl would risk jumping out a window unless a great fear was introduced to her. I was yelled at by some teachers when I was in school and not once did I consider jumping out the window. I think that this is a case that needs some serious investigation done on it cause something just doesn't seem right. I hope they resolve this matter and that her teacher takes greater care in the future not to let this happen again.

Hi shibham, knowing more than one language helps in brain becoming more versatile! So that principal could do with a little education himself. :) Having said that, I think the principal's objective is that unless students converse and think in English with as much ease as they do in their mother tongue, they are not likely to fare well in life as most of the things that go on across the world are in English! I think that is a positive concern. There is no personal vendetta, or fanaticism. Moreover, English has become a language that unites Indians. So why look down on it. May be imposing a fine would have been a better alternative.

Wow, that sounds horrendous And only ten years old as well? Back when I went to school, I wasn't too fond of it, but by God was I lucky enough to never have it anywhere near this strict. Thinking back, I was very lucky, as stories like this remind me