School Discrimination

My daughter is studying in a Private School, we could afford the school fees for 5 and half years. Last year Construction in Macau stop and the company owe months of salary to my husband.

So from last year Dec, my daughter's school is always delayed for 2 weeks. Then this year, I was hospitalized for 3 weeks and now again next week for Tumour Removal. I needed money to pay for prior ultra-sound, doctor consultation before the surgery. I have insurance but I need to pay first. So this time, I used my daughter's school fee to pay my medical first. So I called the Class Teacher that I will pay the April school fees on first week of May. This class teacher was unhelpful and she said she will try to talk to the Principal IF she sees her. I told her of my medical condition. So I tried to call the Princial and she is always out. Then yesterday, the Principal said to my daughter, not even trying to call me and said if I will not pay, she will not be allowed to go to school. So just when I found money and decided to pay this morning, the driver and the teacher cast her away in front of parents and students telling her she is not allowed to board the bus. She was so heart-broken, she may have thought that Priests are nice people. My child is P6 and it would be difficult to change school.


I just want the media or the Education Dept to persuade school to give chance to the parents esp in this economic crisis and not to break the spirit of the child in front of parents, helpers and students.

thank you Huggy for your concern, encouragement and sympathy. I already phone the Education Dept but I told them I am not prejudice against that One school but I just hope using my experience they could advise other schools as well not to let children experience this humiliating thing. When my daugther went to school, she told me the Principal was not speaking to her and pretend she doesnt exist. Oh Well, anyway she has only a few months to endure. I can remember I told my daugther " I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry"... she was fighting her own tears and telling me its ok mommy, I understand, dont mention it... dont let it affect your health, I can swallow it, a happy mother's gift for me, a very understanding 11 year old daughter...

I had to fight back tears reading your posts, sampaguita because I have a daughter also who will be starting at a private school.


A little girl should not be humiliated this way in front of other people, friends especially. Children don't think like adults and could result in a child being teased and excluded from groups. On top of that, it places unnecessary worry on the child AND be made to feel that you are nothing if you don't live up to the society's wealth.


What did the Education Dept do, as a matter of interest?


If you haven't already done so, please phone the PTA of the school and I would suggest going up to the school to speak to the school principal in person with him/her as a representative. This will prove to your daughter that such treatment is NOT okay.


Good luck and I pray that you will get through this hardship (and the rest of us as well).

Definitely go back to the education department. I don't know what school this is, but its certainly not normal practice for a school to behave in this way. if it was me, i'd take my daughter, and home school her for a few months if neccessary.

In addition to involving the PTA and other parents in the class, I would suggest talking to the Principal/ teacher and threaten to take them to the PRESS. This is a form of bullying from the school and should not be tolerated. The school's reputation is also at risk, since lot of students are dropping out due to the crisis and am sure the Principal would like to avoid any negative publicity. I would also demand an apology from the school in the treatment they gave to your daughter. I would also suggest that you shift schools for your daughter, because believe me her self esteem is being affected. She may not tell you about if she is being further discriminated in class. What is more important, your daughter being in this pvt school or she studying in a school where she can walk with her head held high? If you decide to shift her to ESF or any other school, pls make enough noise so that everyone comes to know about how money-minded this school is. You may be surprised to know that there maybe other parents in the same situation as you and you will be infact doing them and lot of other parents a favour.

BTW, would love to know the name of the school, inorder to warn other parents.

Thank you all for your kind words, it touches my heart. I had talked to the Principal when my maid and my daughter was in the street that day. The Principal was saying she has no choice, its the account dept etc etc... she in fact have told my daughter but I said my Gosh, you told my daughter before leaving school, you have the time to call them all up and you dont have time to call me.. I called you, you dont return calls. We exchange conversation for almost 15 mins in the street but no apology. This morning I ask my daughter what happen, she said the Principal started talking to her (maybe because the Education Dept have called her already) and I ask my helper what happened when she boarded the bus, she said her classmates started asking/telling my daughter "You didnt pay the school fees"..

My daughter has only 3 months with that school. I did phone the Education Department and even mention to them I have written to SCMP, they asked me why I have to do that. That I have to discuss with them first before going to the Press. They said they will contact the Principal and will write me a report. My daughter is a gift, she wipe my tears when she was only one, when I had knee operation, she was only 3 years old when she started putting my clothes and chair for me in the bathroom, she was only 5 when she saw a elderly across the street and ask me to bring the umbrella to her... But a waste as a Interviewer told me her academic report cannot reflect her intelligence and a born leader. She is a Sunday SChool Choir now.... The PTA in her school, I dont really feel easy as I know who and what they are.... Because of privacy matters imposed by Asiaxpat, I ccannot mention the name of school.... but the school is in Stubbs Road, Catholic School.


Will let you know the outcome of the Education Dept so you all can help any friends who have gone thru like me....


Thank you Very much... I will be having my surgery next week.

Sampugita,


Appalling behaviour by the School Principle and faculty staff. You have received some good advice here, with regard to contacting PTA's and the press, both of which I support.


Another alley to check would be the schools board of management / directors and or benefactors (if not ESF !). A letter to the chairman of the board outlining the facts of the situation and followed by a stinging complaint with regard to the treatment of your daughter ! (again, chronologically logged, if you can remember the details !)


The treatment of your daughter being refused boarding of a school bus is unacceptable and had I been in your shoes, would have been straight down to the school seeking out the principle for an explanation - especially if no advance communication had been passed to you beforehand ! (i take note of the non-response telcons to the principle !)


You have been and still are a fee paying family !. Teachers cannot unilaterally make decisions on which student is allowed to attend school and who is not, that is, without good reason or correspondence to the school and vice versa !


You may have legal grounds here to explore (anybody on this forum a lawyer ?) with the education department and or school itself. You have corresponded with the school and explained the situation (financial and personal), yet your daughter has been unfairly treated, to an extent, targeted by the administration. (Again, note: you have made an effort to communicate, by mail, by telcon etc - with no reply from the school !)


Do not let this matter lie and seek recourse from the school with an explanation and or an apology for the treatment of your daughter !


Hope all goes well with your situation and it is a temporary setback in these difficult times.

They will send First / Second and Last Reminder. During that time, me and my husband were looking for money to pay bills and money for Ultra-sound and Specialist fee for my Tumours.. I responded when I receive the Last REminder, it was me who called the Principal and the Class Teacher who was not that helpful or didnt even ask how am I and words like sorry to hear you're sick.....


Tuesday afternoon when my daughter was about to leave school, the Principal summond my daugther that if I dont pay she cannot come to school or use the bus, the next morning Wed 8:00am she couldnt get on the bus....I mean no chance for me to go to bank, she thought I will go up the school on the same day... which is ridicoulous as they are off already....


I told them I will pay First week of May and that I really need the money for my sickness... but no sympathy, they dont try to call me or even get in touch with me..


So sad really.....

During that 1 month Huggy, you wont believe what I went thru, sickness/hospitalization for 3 weeks, Father got jobless, Company owe my husband money,son got jobless...I became the main Bread-Winner, husband looking everywhere for money and projects. Now this tumour. Gee, there will be a time when One would have too many things to handle... When I receive the final notice, I immediately call the Principal and the Class Teacher and inform the CT that first week of May, I will definitely pay, then after 1 and half week, and not even even the end of first week of May, they action. During that 1 and half week, I kept calling the Principal, she never return call..... I did tell the Class Teacher that I was looking for money for ultra-sound etc and that I desperately needed this money, she sounded no feelings at all, very bureau... She could have told me Call the Accounts Dept yourself. I dont know, I am abit tired and sad, sometimes suicidal to be honest. WE have been thru 1997/HKSARS, this is the worse I had experience. Working non-stop to make sure you still have a job and not being fired...

If possible move your child to a different school. appalling behaviour from an eductational institution.

I understand Huggy, you were first to rush to me and give me all the emotional support that I needed. Thank you very much. Very grateful.

hshirley, while I agree that some private schools are like that, others go above and beyond for children with for instance learning disabilities. They are by no means all bad.

Thanks to all, I just finish my operation last Tuesday and is recovering. Still awaiting for the feed-back of the Education Dept. My daughter's school is private but not very expensive around HK$ 3200. Altho I am a Christian, I studied in a Catholic School long before, I was taught humanity and self- confidence and I can only read English so I enrol her here thinking it would be the same. At that time, I could afford it, its only these 6 months starting to have problem due to crisis and since she has only until June, I didnt change her school...but they are like credit card/debt collectors, they send you notices and maybe deliberate dont answer my calls. Why such... at first I was afraid t approach the EDB because for fear that they will sort of snub my daugther. My eldest son who studied in a Band 1 primary boy's school suffered that, he couldnt pass the passing grade and so therefore being sort like put aside....but this is govt subsidise school.


Haii....(sign)