The Tribune

BAHAMAS Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson criticised the Ministry of Education for “victimising and using scare tactics” against the teachers at Carlton E Francis Primary School.

Her comments came as a stand-off between teachers and the school’s principal continued yesterday. Some teachers are calling for the principal’s removal and have said they will not teach until this demand is met. As a result, some of them have been told they will be transferred to another school.

Barricades have been placed outside the school’s entrance and police have been brought to the campus to ensure order. Some teachers claim they have been barred from entering the campus.

“The matter at Carlton Francis Primary School was one that has been a concern for two years,” Mrs Wilson told The Tribune yesterday. “The principal, Olivia Daxon, has been very rude, disrespectful to teachers and parents.

“The complaints were given to the Acting Director of Education Marcellus Taylor, to the former and present permanent secretaries and copied to the minister of education.”

She added: “The cries of the teachers have been ignored, now the Ministry of Education is using victimisation and scare tactics that are against the law. The teachers have been prevented from entering their workplace. This is unacceptable in a modern Bahamas. Teachers have rights.”

Mrs Wilson said the BUT “stands behind” the teachers at Carlton E Francis Primary School.

“We will use all avenues available to us to have this matter resolved and teachers’ rights protected,” the union leader said. “We were invited to a meeting with the minister of education, Jeff Lloyd, which ended and was to resume a few hours later but never did.

“This is a disgrace that professionals are being handled in this matter. The police are being used to intimidate teachers and prevent them from entering their workplace. I may have to take this matter to the International Labour Organisation as this is against every policy and labour convention. Shame on the Ministry of Education.”

One disgruntled teacher, Deborah Rahming, said officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and security guards from the Ministry of Education prevented her and others from entering the campus.

“I’m not permitted to enter the premises,” Ms Rahming said. “The resolution for this situation is simply remove the principal. Her behaviour is rude and disrespectful. Our children are being played as pawns and it’s hurting me and the teachers.”

A parent, who asked not to be identified, said she moved her son from Garvin Tynes Primary School “thinking Carlton E Francis was a better school.”

She is frustrated that the teachers and principal were not able to resolve their issues before the start of the new school term.

“I don’t see what the issue is with the teachers and the principal, they should have resolved that from summer,” the parent said.

“The school open up and the children need to learn. The children suffering and can’t learn because the teachers have a problem with the principal. This is very childish. I just want him to have a teacher to learn that’s all. They need to resolve this quick, fast and in a hurry period.”

A teacher who gave her name as Mrs Newbold said when she arrived at the school yesterday, barricades were in place to stop teachers from entering the premises.

Mrs Newbold explained: “This is totally illegal for teachers who are already assigned here. We are saying that the victimisation needs to stop, it needs to stop today.

“Because we have had enough of it and we have to come to some closure to get the school off the ground to where it needs to be. I was asked to come in to receive my letter, but I never got the letter because I never asked for a transfer. I’m not taking or receiving any letter until I get further instructions from my union.”

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Education said it is “disheartened” by the fact that a number of teachers from the school have “withdrawn from their duties” over the last few days.

“This defiant behaviour places our students at a grave disadvantage, depriving them of the quality time and education which they rightfully deserve,” the ministry said.

“As such, the ministry’s paramount objective is to ensure that the education and safety of our students are not compromised. Accordingly, the public can be assured that Ministry officials are working in earnest to resolve the matter.”