One of the country’s leading boys schools, Trinity College may come to the rescue of the 6 year old boy from Kuliyapitiya who has been deprived of a school because of rumours that he maybe HIV+.
Sources said that the school is considering admitting the 6 year old boy, and discussions are underway on the matter.
The child who was initially denied admission to Sambodi Primary School in Kuliyapitiya, but later was allowed to attend the school after higher authorities intervened, faced a fresh issue after the parents of the other students pulled out their children from the school demanding the 6 year old be removed from the school.
Following this incident the authorities decided to pull the child out of the school and find him a new school after changing his and his mother’s identity.
It is also learnt that Zahira College, Kurunegala had offered to admit the boy, but the mother of the child had said that she preferred a school closer to home as her son will not stay without her.
Related Posts;
Education Ministry To Draw Up Guideline To Prevent HIV And Other Discriminations At Schools
ballah / March 4, 2016
Thanks Trinity College
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Girigoris / March 4, 2016
Thanks Sanity has prevailed to Ballah
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Ben Hurling / March 4, 2016
Ballah,
Delighted that you are human.
Cheers!
PS: I applaud TCK, if this is true. Remains to be seen how TCK parents would react to this. I take nothing for granted. We are the land of the stupid.
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Vindi / March 4, 2016
Love your last sentence….”We are the land of Stupid”….So true and cannot agree more…
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Amarasiri / March 4, 2016
Trinity College,
Thank you. Are we going to discard this child, No.
On the Road to Damascus… Saw the Vision…
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Silva / March 4, 2016
This is heart-warming, all credit to Trinity College for coming forward. Trust this is a scholarship with boarding house facilities. If Zahira Kurunegala is too far, then the mother has no choice but to board him at school.
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Manel / March 4, 2016
This is a sad story. It is time our people were educated about diseases like AIDs, and that it cannot be contacted by simple contact. Ignorance leads to unreasonable fear. Perhaps the schools should have programs for parents explaining that there is no danger for their children, and that this poor boy should be welcomed and shown compassion. In this case the village gossip has harmed innocent victims.
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Upali Wickramasinghe / March 4, 2016
Before we attempt to educate the people we must get rid of bufoons who close roads.Behing this drama there must be safron clad goon.
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Priya / March 4, 2016
Where are our great Buddist schools and Buddist monks who proclaim about 2500 years of prestige and pride.What a hypocritic nation we are .Shame Shame Shame.
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Sinhala_Man / March 4, 2016
This is great news; no doubt it has appeared after I made a comment slating the entire schools education system, but Trinity College would obviously have made the decision before they ever saw what I had said:
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/education-ministry-to-draw-up-guideline-to-prevent-hiv-and-other-discriminations-at-schools/#comments
Yes, Trinity will be able to do it because of three reasons: it is private, it is affluent, and it has parents who are likely to understand the problem. By coming forward in this way Trinity has provided the raison d’être for the continued existence of these private Christian schools.
Dear Priya, are there any great “Buddhist Schools”? Please name them.
Let me hasten to add, however, that this in not a “religious” question; I mean in sociological and administrative terms. Ananda, Naland and Vishaka are “government schools”. The one school that I can think of is classified as “International” – and one of the best: Vidura. Also, I respect the spirit in which the question is asked.
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Riyas / March 4, 2016
The concept of Buddhist schools and emergene of sinhala GN and AGA division in the north for the first time was the result of hypoxic on the part of sinhala leaders who were very much weak.It is the weak who establish barriers surrounding g them in order to deprive others of the rights and private privileges enjoyed by them
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Madhavi / March 4, 2016
In the name of siding with the victim, some people like Priya – the cardboard veeraya – tend to bash Sinhala Buddhists for this as well. Do not you know unlike Catholic schools, the Buddhists schools in Sri Lanka are all govt. controlled? They are not duty bound to take such quick decisions as in the case with private schools like TC, Kandy. By the way, I do not endorse the sad plight of this little boy who’s denied school permission due to some of stupid parents’ protest.
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Sinhala_Man / March 4, 2016
Dear Madhavi,
We can rejoice in almost all of this, especially, as you say, in the possible bright future of the child. I presume you are of Hindu background, so it is good to see you point out the same thing as I have, about Buddhist education.
However, Priya probably has a Buddhist background, so it is good for him to be crying shame about his own community.
In both instances I have used the word “background”. I feel that it is time we all evolved away of life where we are less dogmatic about religious matters, but show a sense of values. Let religions remain, but very much as a personal affair; most people take their “religion” over with lands (or debts!) from their parents.
Anglican Christians (Trinity is NOT Catholic) are very few, but also they are mostly well-to-do. And Trinity has to put all that horrible Bishop Shantha Francis period behind them. So, this is positive all round!
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Native Vedda / March 5, 2016
Sinhala_Man
One doesn’t need to be religious to be humane.
One needs a big heart to care for fellow human being.
In many cases, religion is the main obstacle to humanity.
Down with all religion.
We want more humanity, not less. When do we want, now.
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Priya / March 4, 2016
Madhavi the school child was sent is called Sambodhi.Doesnt it sound Buddist to you.Where is the spirit of Buddhism.When a whole village where majority are Buddhists behave like this we will have questions about their faith .Buddism should not be limited to boards and placards and it should be displayed in action like the way Lord Buddha did.Nothing wrong with highlighting our weakness as a nation .Don’t take it wrong as Buddist bashing as I am also a Buddist and trying to live adhering to its core principles. No one should be afraid of calling spade a spade.
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sach / March 5, 2016
You may be a buddhist but an idiot too. How do you think any parent of a Hindu or a Muslim or even a catholic school would react if they heard a rumor that a HIV+ kid is learning with their children? They would take out their kids or protest. There is a thing called internet just check it you would find similar cases from Britian as well.
This has nothing to do with religion but the parents fear for their children and they are extremely cautious of their safety. And like any asian country with low AIDs prevalence these people are unaware of the illness…
So stop fooling around and get some commonsense…you are stupider than the parents in Kuliyapitiya who protested against the kid.
And buddhists have a right and will continue to defend themselves, fear for their safety and act according to threats faced by them just like anyother…
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madhavi / March 7, 2016
Priya, what you do is unknowingly knowingly, dancing to the tune of bogus defenders of buddhism like “justice & equality”. This action of the villagers, the school authorities are WRONG. See the latest stupid comments of the Minister of Education! Its damn hilarious. And sad. My whole point was this action of the people is nothing to do with Sinhalese or Buddhism. Or its culture. Even in America, people behave differently when it comes to cases like this. Whatever they preach, they do not equally treated to such victims. People take no time to hell bent on the rural people or the temple UNNECESSARILY, is wrong.
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justice & equality / March 4, 2016
Madhavi,
what is it that you endorse. Corruption, murder, pillaging, looting, cheating, and all things that come from the netherworld. Maybe you are the same like the other fools who do not know what AIDS is. To enlighten your warped mind, the AIDS virus cannot survive outside the human body, just like you who cannot survive outside your dark and selfish ugly mentality.
Where is the so called compassionate and brave Buddhist clergy of your country such as the BBS, hiding under their beds ??????????????? eh!!! crying for mama.
You are calling people cardboard veerayas.
What are you, a stupid, one eyed, pea brained, ugly minded, unclean, distorted, individual just like the politicians of your country. Go and take a good bath, cleanse yourself, look at yourself in the mirror and alter your image and mentality.
People like you are a CURSE to your beatifull country.
Go and visit that little boy and his mother and offer your services in the name of the venerable Buddha.
Stop wanking yourself because wanking is bad both physically and mentally. May Almighty God the author of all goodness bless you with unselfish insight to see all things in a good way.
Finally, thank you TRINITY COLLEGE in the name of God and may you go from strength to strength, and may that mother and son be blessed in all their needs.
GOD BLESS SRI LANKA.
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Madhavi / March 7, 2016
The long crap says all about you and your crocodile tears over SL and its people. Its nothing but an exhibit of snaky objective. In the name of praising the school, you attack the clergy, the temple, the culture etc., For people like you, if an eskimo rejects a refrigerator, because of the irrelevance to him, its the issue of Sri Lanka or its people. To be more precise, its the Sinhalas and Buddhists.
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david b / March 4, 2016
M—mad
A—and
D—dangerous
H—hell bent
A—a——e
V—venomous
I—idiot
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madhavi / March 7, 2016
Ok, david b. You are just the opposite of mad, dangerous, hell bent, venomous, idiot. Happy? At the same time, keep that is in mind that it is easy to label people as you wish but you might not know what are the labels that are hanging on your back! beware!
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Mallaiyuran / March 4, 2016
Public schools supposed to follow the decisions. They have no decision to make to matters like this. Private schools should not engage into this type of low ethic students hunting, unless they have set up a policy of the AIDS kids rejected by public school system get automatic entry into their schools. What is going here is the same cheating lie Saudi gave money to Rizana’s parents through Hezbollah. There, like the private schools acting here now, Saudi Princes participated in that fraud.
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pam / March 4, 2016
It was at aBuddhist school “Sambodhi” that this child faced
this stupid reaction. I bet you that 90% of these ignorant,
stupid and merciless parents are also buddists.
I know that the Buddha was compassionate person and
his teachings were compassionate, but it is evident
that those teachings are lost entirely on the SL sangha and
the layman.
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Eusense / March 5, 2016
This is one more reason I being a Sinhalese, oppose coining the words “Sinhalese Buddhists”. Very rarely a Sinhalese Buddhist live according to teachings of Lord Buddha. Look at our politicians! We use the term Buddhist only to initiate conflicts, not for the goodwill of all citizens. Religion is a Private thing and you practice religion privately. You don’t need to make it public and show others.
I always want religion separated from governance too.
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Native Vedda / March 5, 2016
Eusense
“I always want religion separated from governance too.”
What are you doing to remove CHAPTER IIof the constitution which states:
The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).
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eusense / March 5, 2016
Repeal it or ammend so that it include all religions.
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Alahakoon / March 5, 2016
Is this due to unnecessary precedence and misinterpretation of Buddhist teaching “Stay away from Balayas” “අසේවනාච බලානම්”.. ? This was included in school buddhist curriculum and we all should be able to identify “Balayas” to pass GCE O/L Buddhism. Aren’t there many beautiful and simpler Buddhist teachings that improves empathy and tolerance of laymen?
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dhammika herath / March 4, 2016
Could any one sri lanka organise to sue the school for 100 plus million for discrimination, breach of confidentiality( sue the ministry of health and entire treating team if he is HIV positive. I am disgusted by the behaviour of the parents of Sambodhi school who pulled out of their children. behaved like true sinhala Buddhists, where as Christians and Muslim schools appeared to be more tolerant. what a country, what kind of people.
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sach / March 5, 2016
If you check kuliyapitiya has 4 schools, 2 catholic and 2 buddhist. And only one buddhist school let the child in. All the others did not let him in due to the parents protests earleir
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Sinhala_Man / March 6, 2016
Dear “sach”,
What you say must cause many of us to re-consider what has been said, but ONLY IF the facts are as you report them. You have wanted us to check the facts; I acknowledge that I haven’t, but I do hope that YOU have INDEED checked.
Knowing the school system as well as I do, but NOT knowing Kuliyapitiya, the “facts” don’t SOUND anywhere near true. Kuliyapitiya is a pretty large town (I’m relying purely on my General Knowledge, common sense, and awareness of Education Department Administration). I wonder if your “checking” was something like this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuliyapitiya
FIVE schools listed there – large ones you can be sure. Sambodhi Vidyalaya (which would translate as “Primary School” has only 179 students, according to what we have learnt while reading about this “incident”. Ideally, some resident of Kuliyapitiya could tell us (I haven’t tried Google Earth!); the photographs that we’ve been given suggest the school is some distance from the town, which has an “Urban Council”. My educated guess: the Urban Council area alone would have about ten schools with primary classes. The Kuliyapitiya Education Division would cover a greater area, and would have about 25 schools, at least 20 with primary classes. We’ve been told that the Director of the Kuliyapitiya Zone is in China. The Zone would have at least 70 schools. I’d expect the schools to be pretty developed because it’s not just the current Education Minister who is from the area. This is “Iriyagolla Land”, and after him there was some Deputy/State Minister of Education from there.
All that verbiage doesn’t matter, really!
A six year old boy. Tiny fellow. Sambodhi Vidyalaya looks a pretty little school, quite close to the little fellow’s home, probably. It is these schools that are vitally important; schools within walking distance of the little kids, providing personalised instruction to village lads and lasses.
Readers of CT, we ALL know Trinity College. This little place will soon be forgotten, and of the 179 students, we could turn out a hundred bigots.
I’ve written much – without verifying, or pretending to have done so. It’s just that you, sach, imply that you’ve got exact knowledge.
Education is a difficult job; requires much more focussing!
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Peace Lover / March 4, 2016
What refreshing news item to hear instead of our daily dose of doom and gloom news!
Trinity College true to Christian traditions have showed kindness and compassion on the victimised
Zahira College Gampola too have done the same act of kindness
I wonder why other leading so called ‘Buddhist’ schools didnt do that?
Over to BBS and its racist followers to answer the above
perhaps for a start K A Sumanasekera can share his comical commments now to further enlighten our day! but hey hold on he might say Trinity was acting on Vellalas orders to convert this Dalit boy and Ranil and Sambandan behind it ;)
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Severer / March 4, 2016
You are no different to bodu Bala Sena yanking about Christian values. Don ‘t forget that Christian values also included the forced conversion of Buddhists and hindu’s in such schools not so long ago.
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Eusense / March 5, 2016
For conversions, we are to be blamed mostly. And the term “forced” conversion is a myth. Most conversions were due to better financial, educational, social and employment opportunities that the convertees foresaw.
What were our Buddhist monks doing while this was happening? They had nothing to offer for these groups who were leaving Buddhism. Buddhism is not an organized religion posed to help the poor. We do not have even a leader to guide our monks. Buddhism has no support system to its congregation when faced with financial, educational, marital and other social difficulties. This is why I consider Buddhism a religion for the “rich” and “famous”. Many famous rich celebrities of the west convert to Buddhism. Once they have reached their financial “haven” and has all the material things they want, they look for spiritual development through Buddhist teachings.
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C. Moreclearly / March 5, 2016
SEVERER.
Forced conversion of Buddhists and Hindus in such schools not so long ago.
Can you provide more accurate details as to when this happened, or are you hallucinating after a good smoke of Pot.
Christian values does not include the forced conversion of non christians. You have no idea of christian values but you may have a idea of how to smoke pot.
Both Christianity and Buddhism are good, very good if practised the proper way for the good of all mankind.
Both have their shortcomings but this is failure of those who propagate the faiths in the wrong way.
Jesus Christ and the Venerable Buddha were good simple men, with simple ideologies but both their ideologies were distorted in time by pot smokers like you.
May Jesus bless the Christians and may the Buddha guide the buddhists and you my shagging pot smoker, stop smoking pot for you will end up in the garbage pit.
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Peace Lover / March 5, 2016
Conversions in Christians schools were not forced like you say
People had converted to get benefits so dont blame the schools pal
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Katie / March 4, 2016
I wish this child’s mother agree to admit her son to Trinity so that she can show that her son is in a much more recognised school where he will get a good education etc. Well done Trinity.
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Don / March 4, 2016
With due respect to Buddhist schools I was moved by the decision of Trinity College.It shows that Trinity College exhibited the teaching of love and kindness and the value of human life.
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Thiwanka / March 4, 2016
I hope more schools should come forward to help. This will give a strong message to all parties involved.
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manel fonseka / March 4, 2016
Well done, my old school, Trinity! I do hope this child can take up your offer and become an asset to the school and his family.
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manel fonseka / March 4, 2016
And well done, Zahira, too!
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kumara... / March 4, 2016
God bless you Zahirra collage and trinity Kandy….hats off to your brave and kindnesses against the so called ‘maithree, 2500 years of budist schools. Where’s the Bodubala sena? And human rights NGO’S…EVERY ANGLE WE ARE A POOR NATION. ..
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Tilak Fernando / March 4, 2016
What is the BBS doing? tying pirith thread on Murder suspects ? Why don’t they arrange the child to be admitted to s Buddhist school
If the parents of the other children decided to pull out their children from that class they should have been allowed to do so. Why did the authorities give into these unreasonable demand.
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Mel / March 4, 2016
So sad this poor thing
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Wasantha Galahitiyawa / March 4, 2016
`Respice Finam` . This young lad is going to get a Great school to further his studies with all facilities. I salute you Trinity. With the new Principal You will be well secured there. Old Boys, Parents and Present students are well taught about HIV and fully aware. Wish you all the best my dear son and we pray for you and your mother.`Respice Finam`!( look to the end : consider the outcome )
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vnd / March 4, 2016
What I cannot understand is, All they need to do is to wait for a four month period and do a blood test on the child….It will show that the child has no HIV…IF this happened in a developed country, the parents would have asked for a very heavy compensation for discrimination and bringing embarrassment to the child & his family, plus for the injustice done for the child’s education…..IF there is a Kind and clever lawyer out there, should come forward and sue the school…..
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Shami / March 4, 2016
True.If it happened in a developed country, at least the one I have experience with ( u.s.a), I know for a fact that the government takes care of most of the medical and sociological aspect of a special needs child. I see special needs children on a daily basis and warms my heart to see the magnitude of effort that goes in to making them feel loved, respected and to make them live a good life later on. There hasn’t been a single second, I think of the less fortunate in under developed countries.
Shunning a child due to a parents differences is heart breaking. Sri lanka needs to embrace differences.Hats off to TCK for stepping up and showing the whole word some basic ethics.
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Nuwan / March 4, 2016
2 things:
1) The kid is not infected. That needs to be emphasized.
2) When it comes to charity certain organisations are ahead in their game and some are not. You shall not blame either.
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NIMAL RAJAPAKSHA / March 4, 2016
GOD NEWS
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paul / March 4, 2016
Wait until Trinity parents protest. Small minded people are not found amongst Buddhists alone.
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SJ / March 4, 2016
Paul:
Small minded people are not found amongst Buddhists alone.
True, may be.
But the point is that broad minded ones could not be found in time.
Instituionalized charity is still a strong point of Christianity and Islam.
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Sean / March 5, 2016
Paul,
Trinity is an Anglican Christian school. That does not mean that all the students study at Trinity are Anglican as well. Majority of the students(at least 75%) are Buddhists, so majority of the parents are Buddhist too. It’s a school with no religious discrimination where Buddhist, Catholics, Christians, Hindus, Muslims share as one. Having said that I highly doubt the parents will oppose to this by any means.
Sean
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anoja charles / March 4, 2016
oh bless your souls all you colleges
i am so thrilled to hear this news, went so mad by seeing that videos , what a horrible decrimination against an innocent child? should all the villager are given the chance to see that boy growing up to a good person with a great future,These schools have the power to go against, welldone trinity or whatever the scholl who deceides, hope that the government can provide a sheltor to the mom and son tobe together, let him gain the best and become the best, when my sister wrote to me this msg to last evening, i wrote to her”i will try to take care of him. i dont have much but i had. the need, new identy is the best .new birthcertificate new identy, super
i
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Nagananda / March 4, 2016
Serious lack of COMMON SENSE in the pseudo Buddhists of Sri Lanka is an insult to what Samma Sambuddha had taught.
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sach / March 5, 2016
what has buddhism got to do with this? But I can see your stupidity
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SB / March 4, 2016
Proud to be a Trinitian will help in any way .I can.
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Lloyd Menda / March 4, 2016
Thanks Trinity for showing Christian love. It is time Christians practice Buddhist virtues of Karuna, Mudhitha, Upekkha too. Because the monks who teach these precepts are either in jail or political platforms. It is amazing that not a single monk came forward on behalf of their own Buddhist child. Thanks to Zahira for your willingness to take this child. Sad to see Sri Lankans still live in the stone age. HIV is not transmitted by sight, touch or sound of a person. Stupid fools!
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nassarules / March 4, 2016
I’m a doctor working at a rural hospital and associate people from all walks of life, though young i believe this problem has nothing to do with religion or what type of school is concerned and in this case i think people who don’t know how the virus acts and what its limitations are will fear it first because we humans are programmed to fear what we do not understand
Having said that this problem is just the tip of the iceberg and even going through the above argument shows their is too much emphasis on useless things like race, religion ,social status and as a nation we lack empathy and understanding……………….these have to be instilled into the younger generation (our parents started a war, had most of the communal riots imaginable and ruined the country economically)so its upto us to bring up our children with empathy and tolerance to make them better humans and better eventually a better nation
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mn / March 4, 2016
Guys, Don’t get mixed up. The majority at Trinity are Buddhists. But at Trinity we all are equal, as our proud old boy Kumar sangakkara said, at Trinity we all are Christians, Buddhists, Islam & Hindus. there are no divisions among us. that’s why all Trinitians from all communities got together in this noble duty.
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Nirupa Rodrigo / March 4, 2016
I respect Trinity College for making the right decision.Please don’t try to divert this case into a religious i
ssue.Don’t wait to grab the chance to say you are bad, we are good. That’s ugly, you know .
What we really must do is educating the stupid educators .
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Prasath De Silva / March 4, 2016
GOD BLESS TRINITY COLLEGE, KANDY & ZAHIRA COLLEGE, KURUNEGALA!
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Tarrin Constantine / March 4, 2016
Proud to be an old Trinitian – Forget about the old silly argument about Christaian or Buddist value – TCK has shown the human value.
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srinath.gunaratne / March 4, 2016
Kudos to Trinity and Sahira!
Shameful behavior from the public schools!
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Mallaiyuran / March 4, 2016
The poor mother’s kid should be used to political game playing. There should not be any kind of negotiations for the child to go to public school in his area. Not every child can go through this political vote gathering Negotiations to go to education. That is the sole purpose of public schools and free education. Zahira and Trinity are not public schools. Denying to admitting the child to a public school system means fundamental rights violation. This is explicit fundamental rights violation of the Child. To rectify this The education minister has to goto home. Kandy Ayatollahs have to go home.
Is there a problem of defense in this matter? If the police can not handle it, the North-East rapist army cannot be called and made the order complied by the violator? I remind the Aapee Anduwa that Kennedy called the National Guards against the Alabama troopers to have the Alabama complied with the Federal Education policy of “Equal Opportunity for all races”. Wallace gave up and latter in his life, he admitted he made mistake.
Time to bring some law and order in the country instead of falsely blaming the parents for their next election votes.
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