A 10-YEAR-OLD pupil has been threatened with legal action by one of her teachers - unless her mother apologises to the teacher.

The child's mother, Boni Sikhu, confirmed yesterday that she received a letter of demand from the teacher's lawyers a week after she received a note from the principal advising her that her child would be barred from attending classes.

Brendan Michie of Hammond Pole Attorneys claims the Grade 4 pupil's comments were defamatory.

Ofentse Sikhu, a pupil at Norkem Park Primary School in Kempton Park on the East Rand, is alleged to have told other pupils while they were changing in the toilets after physical training that they should close the door because the teacher, Jason Picot, would see them naked.

Fellow pupils are believed to have told the teacher what Ofentse said.

The letter from Picot's lawyers to Ofentse's parents alleges Ofentse said "... our client was the person responsible for trying to enter the bathroom, and implied that he had done so on previous occasions as he 'always tries to see the girls naked'."

Sikhu said: "My daughter didn't deny saying that, but it was all innocent. It was a silly remark. The matter was taken out of context."

Sikhu said the school did not inform her about the incident, which occurred last Wednesday. "When I picked her up from school, she told me that she was not going to school the following day. I asked her why and she related the story to me.

"She also told me that the teacher had told her that he did not want to see her anymore."

Gauteng department of education spokesman Charles Phahlane said they were investigating.

In a letter addressed to Ofentse's father, the school's principal, John Clark, said Ofentse had admitted that she made the utterances.

The letter reads in part: "... we have asked Ofentse to write a letter of apology to clear Mr Picot's name so that it can be placed on file. This is a very serious allegation ... to project Mr Picot's integrity, Ofentse is suspended from attending any of Mr Picot's classes until this matter is resolved."

After the incident, a meeting was converged at the school. Present at the meeting were the principal, SGB chairman H Gass and union representative R Nel.

Sikhu said she would not write the letter apologising to the teacher.

"If there is anyone who deserves an apology, it's me. I was never informed about the incident and my daughter was interviewed in my absence ..." Sikhu said.

Michie says in the letter: "... we therefore demand that you ensure your daughter refrains from this sort of conduct in the future, failing which we shall have no option but to proceed with legal action against both you and your daughter ..."