KOCHI: Kerala high court has set aside a criminal case against a Palakkad schoolteacher who caned three class 5 students for fighting, ruling that he acted within his authority to maintain classroom discipline.Justice C Pratheep Kumar, delivering the order on Oct 16, said the teacher’s actions were aimed at correcting the students and helping them grow into responsible citizens, not at causing harm. The case had been registered by Vadakkencherry police after parents complained that the teacher struck their children on the legs during class at 10am on Sept 16, 2019. The complaint was lodged four days later on Sept 20.The court said there was no explanation for the delay and no proof the children suffered injuries, indicating that only minimal force was used. It found that the teacher had “no intention to cause harm beyond what was necessary to enforce discipline” and had acted with restraint.Calling the prosecution “unfortunate”, the court said parents failed to appreciate the teacher’s intentions. It said when a child is entrusted to a teacher, there is implied consent for the teacher to exercise parental authority to correct the pupil.With that reasoning, HC quashed the criminal proceedings, affirming a teacher’s right to maintain discipline within reasonable limits.
