Situation 1: Gauri's stomach is aching badly. She is weeping and nothing seems to help her. She tells her class teacher to allow her to go back home. But the teacher won't let her go on her own, as she is too young. So the teacher makes a call to her father. It's only 8:30 in the morning and the man has already began his work as a peon in an office. He cannot come to school to pick his daughter up. The teacher now inquires about his wife. The lady has also left for her work. Gauri has no option but to stay in school for the whole day.
Situation 2: Harish is a well-to-do businessman, husband and a father of two. He meets the same teacher at a departmental story, with clothes for self and kids in a shopping cart. He wants the teacher to tutor his younger son who is in fourth grade. He is willing to spend obscene money but just wants his son to do "better than his peers". During the conversation, he mentions about his son's expensive holiday home work projects, which he got made from a stationery shop, English speaking classes, piano lessons and skating practice.
Are we being a little over-hopeful when we talk about bridging the achievement gap? The teacher now feels so.
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