Ain Husniza receives warning of expulsion from school

PETALING JAYA: Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam - the teenager behind the #MakeSchoolASaferPlace movement - has received a warning notice of expulsion from her school.

In a tweet at about 1.00am Sunday (May 9), Ain said she received the first warning letter of her expulsion for not coming to school for three days.

Ain, who goes by @ant33ater on Twitter, said she was disheartened that the school that she loved had acted against her for speaking up.

The 17-year-old student had recently called out a male PE teacher in her school for making a distasteful and dangerous joke about rape.

"On the same day the letter was sent, (that) was the same day my father met the principal and she said she supported me on that day but went ahead and did this the same day," she posted.

Ain questioned why she was being punished for having her own opinion and thoughts, things that her own teachers had taught her in school.

"Was it all superficial, a façade? Where are us as students supposed to feel safe in right now. I got a warning letter that I was going to be expelled for speaking up for the right thing.

The teacher himself and the boy that made the rape threat didn't get any action taken on them, but I'm getting expelled. This would ruin my life," she said.

Ain criticised educators who hid stories and silenced students, and urged for reform in the education system to avoid more students being silenced and punished for speaking the truth.

"I can't tell you how many stories I received in my direct messages, students that were also expelled and punished by society when the teachers or perpetrators got off scot-free.

"We've always been silenced and they've always been successful. Now for once, our voices as students are heard and I want to ask you, adults, educators, government, politicians, please save us.

"We just want to be safe in our own schools," she said.

On the same day, Ain's father Saiful Nizam Abdul Wahab posted screenshots on Facebook of comments which he said were made by a woman.

The woman called Ain a hypocrite and a rude daughter on a poster of an online forum called "Speak Up!" where Ain was donning a hijab.

"Such a hypocrite, the devil's child wears a hijab. Teach your rude daughter," she commented.

Saiful had shared the photos of the woman's Facebook profile and said; even if she is angry, where are her manners? Who is being rude, huh".

Saiful's friends expressed disbelief about the woman's behaviour and urged that that stern action be taken against her