Why a Mumbai School Principal Should not be Sacked Over her Social Media Posts
3 May 2024 | The Indian Express
Liking a post on social media that valorises a Hamas fighter after what happened on October 7 is not expected from a school principal, especially one who has a stellar record leading an institution. But if the management of the Somaiya School in Mumbai presses its demand for Parveen Shaikh’s resignation, it will hurt the school. It will also send a chilling message to its students, and future citizens: That the price for expressing a political opinion, even if it is unpopular, is too high. If the principal can be fired for this, why should students debate at all? The school seems to be another in a line of institutions, great and small, that are willing to sacrifice their autonomy and “cancel” employees for expressing an opinion. However, the Somaiya School saga, as it has unfolded so far, also offers a ray of hope.