I was employed in a popular school as Primary teacher on contractual basis for 1 year.Contract said that in case of resignation or termination,15 days notice period will be given.
I was v.hard working and loved kids,but sometimes strict as there's pressure to keep pin drop silence in classroom.But there were some strange "rules" that I found unjust.Moreover I was victimized through politics of parents and colleagues and asked to leave with 3 months of joining only.I was asked to resign myself,else I will be terminated .Below were the reasons.
1. I'm not so social,but reserved.
2. I look "different".Actually I dressed simply while other teachers dressed up very glamorously,as if coming to a party.On weekends they dressed up in provocative very tight jeans or kurtas,that even senior students stared at them and giggled.Once a senior colleague remarked that I should wear "better" clothes,although my clothes are decent and simple.
3. I'm a separated woman and this was known to them.They related my reserved nature to some "abnormality" and said the same to my parents who had met the principal, begging her to give me one more chance to continue.
4. In my class there was a retarded girl with speech problem.When I joined this school her mum requested me to give her a bit more attention,to which I agreed.She also took my phone no.When my colleagues came to know,they stopped me from interacting with her as she plays politics and often instigates other parents towards teachers.I was also told not to give too much attention to her child,but only average,else other children will suffer.
So I had to follow them,being new.This was unknown to this parent and she thought I'm neglectful.So she instigated all parents against me,even though her daughter really liked me as I loved her a lot and always liked sitting with me in school bus.
5. After the above episode,my seniors instructed me not to entertain any parent who comes to meet me but send them to coordinator,as it's disallowed.I did the same.Later this create furore against parents who were unawre of any such instructions to me.
On being asked to resign,when I tried to explain to my coordinator that I was asked not to interact with parents,she did not give me any chance to clarify,but asked me to leave.
6. Once I gave a very light slap to a kid who was not doing his work.Otherwise I love him a lot,for which his mum has also thanked me personally.After this episode his parents came and told me strictly I should not do so and I agreed readily.This thing got amicably settled and the kid opened up with me again.Suddenly 1 month later other parents who had by now turned against me(as I never interacted with them)gave a letter that I'm cruel to kids,which is utterly wrong.On all festivals these kids have given me sweet gifts..If i was cruel they would not have done so.Also whenever a kid cried I hugged him and always appreciated weak kids who showed even slight improvement.
5. I was instructed that in this 6 hour daily job,I'm disallowed to sit at my teacher's seat.Even when children are writing in notebooks,I have to keep standing and go to each child one by one to ensure they are writing.I have backache.So I used to sit at my seat and call them one by one to my seat to check their work.It never affected their performance.Yet this was made an issue,as to why I "sat" in classrooms,when it's disallowed.They expected us to stand continously for 5-6 hrs.
6. Teachers get tiffin break only when kids go out for games period.If they don't go out due to any reason,we have to see them and avoid eating oor own tiffins.Once kids did not go out.So only after finishing my work, I was drinking tea in classroom.My senior saw me and scolded why I was having it,& reported to principal.
7. We don't return children their copies after cheacking them,but keep in classroom only.2-3 times by mistake few kids took their noebooks home.This irriated the parents and they fought loudly with my coordinator over this.2 days later I was asked to leave.
8. I was simply asked to leave without giving clarifications.I also had to hear a rude remark from principal that "I lack maternal instinct".The principal simply got reports about me from parents and colleagues.She never examined me personally.
9. If I was abnormal and cruel why did they not make out after 5-6 rounds of interview that I cleared for getting this job?A panel of people took interview.How did my nature escape their perceptions and intellect?
10. Other teachers are very strict with kids and talk very badly when they do not know the answer to any question.Under me,they were learning good conversational skills also in English,which my seniors don't know as they never let me clarify anything.
Kindly let me know pointwise only if these reasons are good enough to force anyone to leave,because after working here I feel they expect a human to work like a robot with absolutely no room for minor errors also.
Please give me legal advice as to what I should do,and what my legal rights are.
Thanks
