To send the message home, the organisers chose a unique way. Resource person Seema Handa, Director Eklavya School, Jalandhar asked all the teachers dressed in black to move out of the hall, where the workshop was being organised. Around 20 teachers went out. Handa then interacted with the rest and shared their individual experiences about the happiest moments in their lives.

At the end of the exrcise, she called all those who had been sent out with a promise from those sitting in the hall that they wouldn’t share anything with them.

The teachers in black were called in. Handa told them that she had discussed something very interesting in their absence but would not divulge the details.

After 15 minutes, Handa asked each of the teachers dressed in black as to how did they feel when they realised that they didn’t know what had been discussed in their absence. Most of them relied with “out of place”, while someone said “I wish I hadn’t worn black”. Another said, “I feel as if I had done something wrong and felt hurt when my counterpart did not interact with me”.

“See how hurt you are now. Just think about the sensitive feelings of children whom teachers send outside the class and those who are ignored by teachers for being slow-learners or those who are mentally challenged. Teachers hardly bother about them and let them sit in a corner of the class,” Handa told teachers.

Dr Neelam Sodhi, a gynaecologist at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and Anita Sachdev, Special Educator, Delhi Police Public School, New Delhi, also spoke on the occasion.

Teachers shared their experiences and unanimously agreed that mentally challenged children should be treated like normal children. Experts said the academic needs of such children are also fulfilled at home, it is the social needs which are addressed in normal schools.