The Day I Wrote A Complaint

I was standing there again after almost 20 years. 

Standing, in the middle of the Stage which, still stands proudly on my school’s huge premise, made my heart overwhelmed with emotions, gratitude, and eyes teary. My countless memories of the numerous occasions when I received awards for academic excellence were just flashed as if in a dream. 

I think school days are the ones due to which we want to relive our childhood again, hence, need not mention, I also have loads of fond memories of my school days just like others. 

I glanced at the vast playground surrounded by 2 storeys long school building, went to my various classrooms, and peeped in the staffroom, the notice board, principal’s cabin. I clearly remember the unsaid fear and sound of my pounding heart when I used to approach the principal’s office – luckily, for the right reasons mostly. I still see my name written on the wooden board just above the office door which enlisted tops 3 students list each year since the school was founded. 

There are several bittersweet memories, a lot to reminisce but I remember one incident very clearly. 

The new academic year had just started, and I was in class 9th then. It was just a week or so since school reopened after summer vacation and we got to know that this year Mr. Narayankar Sir was going to be our Math teacher. He was one of the senior-most school teachers, to be precise, from one of the initial batches of teachers who joined when our school was founded way back in the 70s but had never got the opportunity to learn Math from him which mean we all were going to face him for the first time in life. 

When my class came to know about Narayankar Sir will be teaching math to us, a few students started criticizing his teaching style like he doesn’t explain the concept, he often sleeps in the class, etc., and how it will affect the whole subject. I was not sure how they all got this information, most probably from seniors.

Although I had no knowledge or experience of him as a teacher, because I had not interacted with and was never been his student in previous grades, these talks made me also worry about my Math future. 

Then, after attending his first class, my fear was substantiated and felt my classmates were true. Maybe because he used to write the key problem and its solution on the blackboard, explain a few key steps, and then sit down on a chair instructing us to write down the problem from the board and solve the other sums from the book. 

On the next day, in one of the recesses, Math class was the topic of heated discussion among my classmates, I was also part of it off course. Somehow, I was also agreeing with what others were saying. Soon we all decided that we will write an application letter to the Principal Ma’am to complain about Math’s sir teaching style and request Ma’am to change our teacher.

Now big QUESTION - Who will write the application?

Since I was the topper of the class, everyone agreed that letter written by me would add more weightage plus, due to my good academic performance till 8th class I had managed to build a good impression on one of the strictest principals of our school. Hence, there was no second thought to my writing the application and I also agreed to this. I felt proud to have been assigned as a key person in this ‘revolutionary’ movement.  

I wrote the letter pouring all my emotions and feelings but at the same time demonstrating my strong English letter writing skills.  

The next day, I proudly showed it to my classmates. They all were impressed and had a lot of praise for me. We took the signature of all students at the bottom of the letter and along with a few other classmates, I proudly, with my head high, went to the principal’s office and submitted the letter. 

We all were so happy and confident that cognizance of our complaint will be surely taken and we will get a new Math teacher. Coincidently, that day Math class got canceled. 

Soon, instead of Math’s sir, our Class teacher Mr. Nichale Sir entered the class. He was just staring at all of us for around a few seconds without uttering a word. There was pin-drop silence. Obviously, he was not in a very good mood. 

He roared “Who wrote the complaint letter to Principal madam about Math?”

There was a silence. A spine-chilling sensation ran through my whole body, suddenly hands and feet got cold, and my heart started pounding harder and harder with fear. 

“I am asking last time now, who wrote the letter,” he said with an angry stare. 

One of my friends looked at me and signaled me to stand up. I thought at least a few more students will stand up with me to support me, but it was just me who was standing alone in the class to face the wrath. 

Nichale sir looked at me angrily, then said “This can’t be one person’s job. I see everyone's signature, hence whole class is responsible, I just wanted to see who takes responsibility.” 

I was still standing alone as the main culprit and was trying hard to hold back my tears. 

“If you had any complaint about any teacher including me, you should talk to that teacher first and share your concerns. If it doesn’t get addressed, talk to me that is ..your class teacher. I will help you, I will guide you. How could you directly go to Principal madam? Do you guys know how senior Narayankar sir is? He will be retired in three years and what have you done? “ He was lashing out at us.

In a firm voice, he said, “You all have to correct this. Today, before school ends, you people will go into the staffroom and will apologize to Narayankar Sir. 

You need to go to Principal madam, accept your mistake, and apologise to her as well. You have to do this today before school ends. 

Hope I made myself very clear.“ His voice was very demanding.

Everyone said “yes” in agreement, then he stormed out of the room. 

As soon as he left, tears started rolling down my face. I couldn’t control it. Half of the class had surrounded me and tried hard to console me. 

“Let’s go to the staffroom and apologize to Sir,” one said.

“Sir is aged. This letter may affect his health, then who will be responsible” another one.

“This may go to our parents as well” another scary tone. 

and blah blah blah…

All these remarks from my class buddies were making me cry more. As I had written the letter, I was the main culprit. 

Soon the world for me had turned upside down. The proud feeling had already gone and it was taken over by guilt.

With few students, I went to the staff room, where we saw Narayankar sir sitting in his chair in distress. All teachers were looking at us in disappointment. 

We were offenders now. 

I was still crying and saying sorry to Narayankar sir, but he didn’t say a word. He was shocked and upset. 

Damage was already done – this feeling made me cry more. I was feeling very guilty. I was cursing myself for the moment I agreed to write that letter. 

In later weeks, for a couple of Math classes, I did notice Principal madam standing outside the glass window and observing how the class was proceeding. 

Once she also came and sat on the backbench for 5 -10 mins during the Math class. I felt bad and ashamed of myself. Does this old senior man deserve this monitoring at this stage of his career? How uncomfortable and humiliating he must have felt during this parade. 

I later realized, that although his teaching style remained the same, the tactics he taught were simple yet amazing.  He was not a very expressive or loud teacher but his knowledge was astounding. He used to make a difficult problem look very simple with his techniques. 

Later in subsequent monthly class unit tests and in the mid-term exams, I continued to stand top due to which I succeeded to build a good impression on my class as well as on my Math teacher. 

I was not sure if I had managed to heal the damage but I was trying hard to build a good rapport with my teachers or maybe I was trying hard to seek their forgiveness. I had become more sincere, more diligent, and more hardworking. 

Soon I was a favorite of Nichale sir - my class teacher. 

And Narayankar sir was very attentive towards me. He used to make sure, I understand each concept. 

Although that year started on a bad note for me, it ended quite well because I had scored top in all 3 divisions of the 9th standard and was a potential merit student for 10th grade. 

My terms with Nichale Sir and Narayankar Sir always remained cordial post that but I still regret what I had done, but this incident taught me one lesson “Always build your opinion based on your own experiences and not by words from others”

All my school teachers were my Guru in the true sense and my school was my gurukul. There was no politics, no grudges, no partiality, and no favoritism between teachers and students. 

I will always remain grateful to my Holy Cross Marathi school and to all my school teachers. 

Narayankar sir, I am not sure if I will be fortunate enough to meet you again in this life or if this message will reach you but would like to say this from bottom of my heart that 

“You were one of my best Math teachers.”

Dedicated to my teachers - Mr.Narayankar and Mr.Nichale Sir  

Thank you.