'They Were Compared to Animals': Ex-Student Alleges Body-Shaming, Victim-Blaming by Delhi School Teachers | WATCH

New Delhi: A school in New Delhi has come under severe scrutiny on social media after a former student alleged two female sports teachers of body-shaming Class 12 girls as well as making alleged victim-blaming remarks during a Physical Education (PE) class.   

The charges came in a video shared on the social media platform (Instagram) by an account named delhitediaries. The video apparently shows a former student of Queens Valley School in Dwarka Sector 8, Delhi, describing an interaction that she claims occurred during a PE period attended by all Class 12 students.

According to her, the session started with comments on the length of students' skirts before moving on to comments about the girls' bodies and attractiveness.

'They Were Compared To Animals'

According to the former student, the teachers were initially concerned about the length of the girls' skirts, claiming that their shorts or underwear were sometimes visible. She claimed that the discussion subsequently escalated into comments about students' physique types.

"The term ‘thunder thighs’ was used to shame girls with thicker thighs. Girls with fuller breasts were told that they look ‘ghatiya’ while walking or running. Two sports teachers said that when they move, everything moves with them," she shared. “They were compared to animals. They were compared to elephants.”

She also recalled how the assembly began. ”An all-girls school in Dwarka Sector 8, the school had the audacity to assemble all of its 12th graders, 16- to 17-year-old girls by the way, to try to teach them the most vulgar things ever," she said. “They started off, of course, where they always do, with the length of the skirts.”

Former student alleges victim-blaming remarks linked to Rajasthan assault case 

The former student also said that the professors discussed the recent kidnapping, trafficking, and sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl in Rajasthan while conversing with the children. According to her, the teachers implied that the crime occurred because of what the victim was wearing.

"The two sports teachers lecturing these girls implied that the girl was sexually assaulted because of what she was wearing, and then said, ‘Tum apna dekh lo phir,’" she said.

Expressing disappointment over the incident, she said she had many positive memories from her time at the school but never imagined students would have to hear such remarks.

"All of this happened under the roof of an all-girls school," she added. “This is a school that claims to empower young girls and then body-shames them. This is a school that claims to educate young girls and then teaches them that sexual assault is the fault of the victim.”

Calling on the institution to respond, she said, “Queens Valley School, this is not okay. Body-shaming young girls is not okay. Slut-shaming 16-to 17-year-old girls is not okay. Teaching young girls that assault is the victim’s fault is not okay. Take accountability.”

‘What the hell! I am…..’:Social media users share similar experiences

The video triggered a widespread internet discussion, with some individuals claiming to have witnessed or experienced similar behavior while attending school or other educational institutions.

One user wrote, “The worst part is realizing each one of us has had at least one or more experiences like this in qvs. It's so sad. Thank you for speaking up!”

Another commented, “A girl in my college wore a simple dress our teacher called her parents, asked the girl if her father even knows what she wears, told her ‘jo tum karna chahti ho vo yaha nhi hota’ in a very derogatory way. I mean.. it was a just a dress??”

An alumna of the school said, “this is not a one-time incident either. as an alumna, I've seen this happening when I was in the school aswell. the only difference is that the passive-agressiveness has turned into such blatant, crude and mysogynistic remarks made so proudly by FEMALE TEACHERS.”

Another social media user questioned, "Why are 'sports teachers' given the authority? Who even have given them this authority..."

A separate comment read, “I think Dwarka schools really need a refresh setting . At this point most of the schools. This is heart breaking and the same thing has been happening always . This really needs to stop”

Claiming to be a former student, another person wrote, “been a student from this school and can relate to every word you said , the principal who has left the school now used to body shame girls infront of other girls if you dont go 'proper' to school , shitty school”

Another user added, “Thank you for calling it out. It was long overdue. I studied here and let me tell you slut shaming was pretty common back in the day as well. Most teachers seem to carry the same mindset.”

Reacting to the allegations, one parent commented, “What the hell! I am a mom to a teen girl and this sounds absolutely obnoxious! Extremely shameful act by the school. You go girl for speaking up!!”

One more user alleged, “Also, can we talk about how, even after chhutti, the principal and some staff would literally follow girls outside the school just to see who they were going home with? It always felt so creepy.”

Another person wrote, “Im so sorry to hear that, kudos to you for putting this out here. The school and the teachers should be held accountable for this.”

For many, the allegations have once again raised a familiar question, should a classroom ever become a place where students feel judged instead of supported?