Bishop Cotton gets in-charge principal amid suspension crisis

The principal in-charge at the Bishop Cotton Boys’ School on Tuesday formally communicated to parents that she had been called in to take the place of suspended principal S Edwin Christopher.

Christopher was suspended on July 11 pending inquiry into undisclosed allegations.

Lavanya Mithran said in an official note that she was taking charge of the institution “in the light of recent developments”. She is a member of the school’s board of management and convenor of the education committee.

Christopher and N Shantha Susheela, principal of St John’s High School, were suspended on the same day by the executive committee of the Karnataka Central Diocese, which runs the schools. Affiliated to the Church of South India, the diocese is yet to disclose reasons for the two suspensions.

Diocesan members in informal groups have called for more transparency in administrative decisions. The diocese, responding to questions from DH, which reported exclusively on the development, had said the suspensions were an internal matter.

Sources close to Shantha later stated that she had been suspended in connection with the sanction of fee waivers during a pandemic year.

Due process ignored

Meanwhile, some church members alleged due process had not been followed when Christopher’s suspension was ratified at a July 11 meeting.

“The 25-point meeting agenda did not even list Bishop Cotton School. The agenda did mention ‘matters related to St John’s High School’ and the other school was brought in as a supplementary item and the suspensions were ordered,” a member of the diocese told DH. The matter was not discussed on official platforms and by the diocese education committee before it reached its executive committee, he said.

The diocese has constituted panels to inquire into allegations against the two principals.