Expelled over Lesbianism accusations

Five Form Four students expelled from a secondary school over claims of lesbianism now want the institution compelled to readmit them.The 17-year-olds want the High Court to direct the school to readmit them and render time and resources to enable them catch up with lost lessons.

They asked the court to quash the recommendations made by the school in a letter dated May 18, 2015, suspending them from school.

The five girls claim that they were suspended and later expelled without a valid reason, which they say is contrary to the Constitution and the Basic Education Act 2013. One of the parents told the court in a suit filed on Wednesday that the girls have been out of school since they were suspended on April 8, 2015, and later expelled on May 18.

"The Form Four candidates have been out of school since they were expelled and if they are not readmitted immediately, they will suffer irreparable loss and harm," the parent stated.

In their defence, the girls stated in an affidavit attached to the suit that they were revising when they dozed off; one of them was in bed and the other on top of it. They further explained that they were caught sleeping by the deputy headmistress who gave them foolscaps and demanded they write down what they were doing.

They say that they have lost self-confidence and esteem since the time they were accused of engaging in lesbianism. The parents stated, through lawyer Mwangombe Mwakio, that the teenagers' right to education and to a fair administrative action had been infringed by the institution.

They said that they received letters informing them of their daughters' expulsion from school. They were, however, informed that their daughters would be able to sit the 2015 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations later in the year. The students asked the court to stop the school from discriminating against and victimising them upon their readmission.

They further sought orders directing the school to pay the tuition fees incurred during their suspension, any other costs incurred while admitting the children to other schools and also asked the court to award damages.

Reference : www.standardmedia.co.ke