Thursday, January 26, 2023
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TEACHERS at Central Eleuthera High School stood in solidarity with one of their colleagues who was allegedly almost “attacked” by a parent, according to Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) president Belinda Wilson.
When contacted on the matter, Acting Director of Education Dominique McCartney-Russell said she was still trying to get full details on the matter but gave some information.
She told The Tribune she was advised that a parent came on campus at the school to “fuss” with a teacher on Tuesday.
Mrs Wilson said the union will not stand for this.
“Today, the teachers at Central Eleuthera High School stood in solidarity with one of their colleagues who was allegedly attacked by a parent. An irate parent that entered the school campus yesterday and (came) to the principal’s office and attempted to attack a teacher. So this morning, teachers at Central Eleuthera High School stood in solidarity,” she said in a voice note.
“They wore black to show unity and there were a series of meetings held with the principal, district superintendent. There’s a list of concerns related to safety on the school campus. Discipline or the lack thereof and the concerns about disruptive, rude students - one of whom is the son of the parent.
“So we are in a series of meetings. We will be communicating with the district superintendent, the acting director, and the teacher would have made a complaint to the police. So we will also be in communication with the police, but I want to discourage parents from taking matters into their own hands and entering school campuses to attack or to approach teachers in an aggressive manner.
“The Bahamas Union of Teachers will not stand for this and we stand behind our teachers 100 percent and I want to say thank you to the teachers, the guidance counsellors and all of the staff at Central Eleuthera High School for standing in solidarity today.”
Mrs McCartney-Russell said she was waiting for the report from officials.
“I’m advised that a parent came on campus at the school to fuss with a teacher. Now in regards to what I cannot tell you. I know that they exchanged words, but I don’t know because I’m waiting for the report from the teacher and from the school leadership as well as the district superintendent,” Mrs McCartney-Russell said.
She added officials want to have a partnership with parents, because they are key stakeholders but will not tolerate aggression.
“We will not tolerate any parent attacking teachers. The reality is, you know, we are all adults,” she said.
“It is expected that the adults would know how to calmly deal with conflicts, whatever the conflict is, that they would be able to sit down, especially in regards to our children’s education, and discuss those issues and come to a solution or resolve.”
Asked if the parent will be allowed to come on the campus after this incident, Mrs McCartney-Russell answered: “We have to find out what transpired, but if the information received warrants that then certainly - certainly they would not be allowed.”
She added: “We’re going to do everything in our power to ensure that the environment is safe for our children, and that the environment is safe for our team members, that the environment is safe for all stakeholders when they come on that campus. If there’s anyone who decides that they’re going to disrupt that, then we certainly will not allow that to continue.”
Comments
OMG says...
When Belinda talks about solidarity it never applies to any effort on her part to support out of contract long serving expat teachers being given a teachers pension This is discrimination Mrs Wilson, not solidarity. Upon retirement an expat doing the exactly the same job as my Bahamian colleagues will retire with no teachers pension just a national insurance pension. Mrs Wilson and all Bahamian teachers need to realise that should they decide to teach abroad in the USA or UK they would immediately be entitled to the benefits given to citizens of that country and this word 'solidarity' in the BUT means nothing.. The 15% gratuity for expats is in lieu of pension during the contract period ceases as soon as they start on month to month terms.In essence if an expat works for a further 30 years after his last contract , he is doing the same work but for less financial benefit of his Bahamian colleagues. It seems that solidarity only extends to paying the same dues as my Bahamian colleagues. Mrs Wilson, talk is cheap.
Posted 26 January 2023, 11:17 a.m. Suggest removal
ohdrap4 says...
Also notice that the union is not active in private schoools, since private schools have too many expatriate teachers.
The expatriate does not do the same work for less financial benefit. More work is demanded of him for less financial benefit, as he is expected to do more volunteer work spend more of his earnings in school supplies and never, ever be late. And then they send him home on the evening of his 65th birthday. Like Boxer was sent to the goo factory.
Posted 26 January 2023, 11:23 a.m. Suggest removal
M0J0 says...
Union can only act on the behalf of members, if private schools are not apart of the union then they stand alone.
Posted 26 January 2023, 11:48 a.m. Suggest removal
mandela says...
If any parent/s goes to any school campus to attack persons there be it the custodian to the principal, that parent/s should be charged with assault and at minimum be locked up and spend a few hours in the cell, to show them (parent/s) their actions will not be tolerated and show their children that the system will not be playing games with the parent/s and their rude illiterate children.
Posted 26 January 2023, 11:49 a.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Allegedly almost attacked?.?
Posted 26 January 2023, 1:17 p.m. Suggest removal
avidreader says...
Been there and done that. I was younger then and I recall the male parent of the delinquent student looking me over as he came to the reasonable conclusion that any physical actions would not be in his best interest. That was a good day 😂.
Posted 26 January 2023, 2:17 p.m. Suggest removal
moncurcool says...
> “Today, the teachers at Central
> Eleuthera High School stood in
> solidarity with one of their
> colleagues who was allegedly attacked
> by a parent. An irate parent that
> entered the school campus yesterday
> and (came) to the principal’s office
> and attempted to attack a teacher. So
> this morning, teachers at Central
> Eleuthera High School stood in
> solidarity,” she said in a voice note.
This statement right here by the head of BUT and an educator is a great example of why our education system is in trouble.
Imagine a child writing as essay like this that say the parent attacked the teacher and then in the next sentence says the parent allegedly attacked the teacher.
Just plain unbelievable a person who suppose to be leading a teachers union speaks like that.
Posted 26 January 2023, 7:09 p.m. Suggest removal
xtreme2x says...
who was allegedly almost “attacked” by a parent.
IS ALLEGEDLY ALMOST ATTACKED A CRIME?
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SHOULD GROW A PAIR AND FIRED ALL YHOSE WHO SYOOD IN SOLIDARITY.
Posted 26 January 2023, 7:29 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Many of these FI schools are ticking timebombs because of neglect and incompetence on the part of an out of touch centralized Nassaucentric system.
Familiarity breeds contempt ........ An old saying that we see playing out in these clannish dysfunctional communities. A lot of stuff just remains hidden in plain sight.
Posted 26 January 2023, 8:22 p.m. Suggest removal
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