Teachers of Isaiah Thomas Secondary School (ITSS) have abandoned classes in solidarity with former acting vice-principal, Kendra Roberts. Roberts was acting vice-principal at the school for six years and was expected to be confirmed as principal, but the Ministry of Education did not confirm her to the prospective position, and the teachers staged a walkout in her support.
Following the reclassification system implemented across the civil service, eligible teachers are expected to sit for promotion examinations and pass panel interviews before they are promoted to open positions such as that of the principal, head of department, and counsellor among others. Insiders said Roberts applied to be confirmed for the position of a vice-principal and also passed her interview, but she was not confirmed – meaning she would be relegated to a regular teacher.
Several teachers at ITSS said Roberts worked hard to upgrade the standards of education in the school over the last six years she served in acting capacity as vice-principal, and rather than being confirmed for her current role, two new vice-principals were appointed to the school – one promoted from ITSS and another transferred from Pierre Charles Secondary School.
Teachers said Roberts worked hard beyond the call of duty to serve, and that she was discriminated in being sidelined for confirmation. “Kendra has been the backbone of ITSS, and without her, I am not sure where this school would have been,” one ITSS teacher stated. The teachers sent several letters and solicitations to the Ministry of Education and Parliament to validate Roberts position which went unanswered, hence the need to stage a walkout.
While several parents expressed support for the teachers’ action, they berated the tutors pressing home their demands at the expense of the students. A parent accused the teachers for failing to login to Zoom or Google Classroom to teach the students virtually, and that refusal to teach students smirked of selfishness.
“I have no problem with the staff wanting answers as to what happened,” a parent wrote on social media. “But why do the children have to suffer? In this critical time, why are the teachers applying more pressure to the students by not showing up to classes? What is your main goal at ITSS – teaching or getting justice for the teacher? ITSS teachers – who is of more importance – the students or the teachers?”
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