A government teaching job is something that a lot of people would be willing to beg, steal and borrow for. But this teacher in Viluppuram is a class apart. After the police halted her protest over the death of 17-year-old Anitha, a government school teacher in Viluppuram has resigned from her job. Thirty-four-year-old Sabarimala Jayakanthan went on a hunger strike along with her minor son on September 6 in front of the school she taught at. However, after police stopped her protesting, the teacher resigned from her post stating that teachers should be allowed to protest for the students.

Jayakanthan, a native of Madurai, has been a teacher since 2002 and moved to Vairapuram Panchayat Union Middle School, Viluppuram in 2009 after her marriage. In a letter address to the education department officials in Viluppuram, Jayakanthan said that she and her husband had decided that despite being able to afford private education, they admitted their child to a government school believing that it was a good education system. Therefore, she felt that Anita had in no way been ineligible for a medical seat.

On September 6, Jayakanthan along with her seven-year-old son, who also studies at the same school, sat in protest in front of the school. She was then detained by the police who stated that she had not sought prior permission for staging the protest

The teacher said that it was necessary to bring in a common education system where students won't be discriminated based on the syllabus they have studied. "How can students be tested on a syllabus they haven't been trained in. The government should improve the education system and not discriminate among the students," she said.

On September 6, Jayakanthan along with her seven-year-old son, who also studies at the same school, sat in protest in front of the school. She was then detained by the police who stated that she had not sought prior permission for staging the protest. Following this, when Jayakanthan approached the police, she was denied permission by the SP who said that a government employee protesting against government schemes was an offence. 

"This is a just cause and I should be allowed to protest. Teachers come out to protest for salary hikes, in the same way, teachers should also come out in support of Anita. For me demanding for a better nation is more important than my job," she said. Jayakanthan said that she would continue her one-day hunger strike by sitting outside her house and protesting.