Disrupting classes or forcing children to stay at home is not a solution or a way of seeking justice, several school principals said after a violent Tuesday ended and an uncertain Wednesday loomed in.

Schools suspended classes, postponed exams or switched to online fearing disruption on Tuesday.

After the 12-hour bandh call by the BJP for Wednesday, more schools suspended in-person classes and some left it to parents to “watch the situation”.

Many schools said they were apprehensive about the safety of children on the roads.

“Things are uncertain and volatile and we cannot take a risk with children. Even if one child gets hurt, the onus falls on the school. Police will be on the roads but if there is an altercation between the protesters and the police, children will panic,” said Meena Kak, director, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy.

Schools that were open on Tuesday recorded low attendance.

At The Heritage School, off EM Bypass, only 120 out of 3,500 students between Classes VI and XII turned up. At La Martiniere for Boys, less than a third of the students were in class. At Mahadevi Birla World Academy, Park Circus, and MP Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School, Behala, attendance was less than half.

“We have to condemn an incident like rape and murder so that it is not repeated but closing schools is not a solution. Disrupting classes and not letting people study is not a solution,” said Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School.

Satabdi Bhattacharjee, principal, South City International School, said the demand is for a safe and peaceful workplace but how will it yield a result if people are unable to go to their workplaces?

“Protests that bring everything to a standstill are not the way to bring justice,” said Bhattacharjee.

It should be the responsibility of schools and parents to address issues of gender discrimination and bullying and educate girls and boys to break stereotypes, principals said.

“It is important that we focus on how we raise our children, both sons and daughters. We have to teach every individual to uphold the dignity of another individual,” Bhattacharjee said.

Several principals said the uncertainty because of the rally and strike on consecutive days was worrying. “After how things panned out on Tuesday, we are scared. The violence in the city is worrying,” said a principal.

“This kind of a protest has nothing to do with justice. In the initial days, especially on the night of August 14, it was a genuine cry from people’s hearts. Now the movement has been hijacked by political parties and students are bearing the brunt of it,” she said.

Modern High School for Girls and Mahadevi Birla World Academy will remain closed on Wednesday. Sri Sri Academy has suspended classes for seniors and will hold online classes for juniors.

Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Indus Valley World School, The Heritage School, DPS Ruby Park and La Martiniere for Boys will have online classes.

Sushila Birla Girls’ School has postponed exams for senior classes. La Martiniere for Girls and St James School left it to parents to decide.

“Please watch the situation and act accordingly on 28th August 2024,” said the message from Supriyo Dhar, secretary, the La Martiniere schools.

“We revised our timings on Tuesday and tweaked our timetable so children could leave before the rally began. But parents feared children would be stranded on the roads and many did not send them to school,” said John Stephen, acting principal, La Martiniere for Boys.