Bengaluru’s Bishop Cotton Girls’ School on Thursday issued a clarification after a WhatsApp message, stating that the school’s principal had slapped a parent, went viral on social media.
In the video, the woman purported to be the principal of a school in Bihar’s Patna, is seen arguing with a group of parents, who question why fees for library and transportation are being charged when students were not using these facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents can be seen gathered around the courtyard of the school, demanding to know why additional fees were asked. The people in the video can be seen conversing in Hindi.
However, the WhatsApp forward falsely claimed that the woman in the video is the principal of Bishop Cotton Girls’ School, located along St Mark’s Road in Bengaluru’s Central Business District. "Bishop cotton Girl's School principal slaps a parent when she is questioning her on why library fees, transportation fees etc were being charged even when the school was closed during COVID-19 crisis," the fake message reads.
“I, Dr. Mrs. Lavanya Mithran, am the principal of the institution. We take pride in the values and the social concern that our school espouses. We are deeply hurt to note that some persons have uploaded a video to facebook and other social media that claim that 'Bishop cotton girls' school principal slaps a parent',” the statement from Bishop Cotton Girls’ School’s principal read.
Dr Lavanya Mithran stated that she does not know who the people in the video are and that it has nothing to do with Bishop Cotton Girls’ School.
“We have learnt that the said video is of some school in the state of Bihar we are not sure, however. Please note that our institution does not have any branch at all. We have received several calls from our parents and well-wishers who have alerted the uploaders that the video has nothing to do with our institution. We are deeply grateful to them,” the statement added.
Principal Lavanya further stated that several parents have allegedly lodged a complaint with authorities to take action against those spreading misinformation.