• A teacher was called out by a student when she said “a woman was killed under mysterious circumstances”. “How do you expect people to report rape if you cannot name it?” asked the Class XII girl
• Senior students in an all-girls government school undergoing self-defence training asked teachers whether a 45-day training was enough to defend themselves.

Students across schools are expressing their anger and apprehension over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Several schools are giving students space to vent their emotions.

“We talk to our students about what is happening in the world. If we are trying to bring up children with ideas of equality and tolerance, without any form of gender discrimination or bias, it would be hypocritical if we do not talk to them about such a burning issue in the city we live in,” said Tina Servaia, senior school principal, Calcutta International School.

In most schools, students have been pouring out their rage, anguish, anxiety and a sense of helplessness in the presence of teachers and counsellors.

Some have expressed themselves through paintings, sketches and posters, too.

“The girls asked us whether a 45-day self-defence training was enough for them to protect themselves or if they need a more intense course,” said Sarbari Sengupta, headmistress, Children’s Welfare Association High School for Girls.

Many of the girls travel on their own to school and for tuition.

A Class XII student from another school said she was uncomfortable using public transport, especially after the RG Kar incident. “If I am alone with strangers I am feeling a little uncomfortable,” she said.

A Class XII student in Loreto Day School Elliot Road penned her thoughts in a poem. A few lines from the poem written by Hifza Shahnawaz say: “So she takes the pain of death/And she presses her lips tight/Because the men are not done yet/And women do not fight.”

Hifza read the poem out in the school assembly for Classes VI to XII.

“After she read the poem, there was silence for some time. The incident has affected the girls. They are worried for themselves as girls, and as individuals, who go out into the world. They feel let down by what has happened,” said Jessica Gomes Surana, principal, Loreto Day School Elliot Road.

“On their own, they are coming up with charts, poems and sketches, and they want their voices to be heard,” she said.

Boys are taking part in the conversation, too. A Class XII boy in Modern High School International told a session that it was for boys to “understand and respect boundaries and treat girls as equals”.

“Boys need to know how to interact with girls and that they have to respect their space,” said Nandini Ghatak, principal, Modern High School International.

“The students are consuming a lot of content (mainly online) that is graphic and disturbing and has left them disturbed. Hence they have felt the need to talk about it,” said Ghatak.

Amita Prasad, director of Indus Valley World School, said there is a lot of awareness among the students this time.

“On other occasions, we would ask teachers to talk about incidents to students but in this case, the students are seeking answers from their teachers in classrooms,” said Prasad last week.

The student council members at Mahadevi Birla World Academy came up with the idea of drawing posters on the eve of Independence Day.

“Some of them asked questions about what is Independence,” said principal Anjana Saha.

Saha stressed the need to educate boys.

“It is time-consuming. Many of the boys tend to take their mothers and aunts for granted and assign them roles that are restricted to the
home front. They do not see them being included or their opinions being considered when it comes to financial or property matters,” said
Saha.

“We deliberately invite former girl students who are successful professionals to talk to the boys so they identify them as role models,” she said.