BHS situation Worsens As Protests Continue ====================================== by LK Hewlett The communication between the Ministry of Education and the staff of the Basseterre High School appears to be deteriorating amid continued teacher and student protests. Parents have now joined the demonstration lines as the BHS staff and students complain about health concerns at the school. Some of the teachers continue to attend class but many are protesting along with students and calling for a return to the shift system until a new school could be built. On Tuesday afternoon (28), Minister of Education Hon. Nigel Carty called an emergency meeting with the BHS staff. He was accompanied by Chief Education Officer Clarice Cotton, Education Officer Lisa Pistana, and Quinton Morton- who heads maintenance issues in the Ministry. The Observer spoke with teachers who said they assumed Tuesday’s meeting would have been to work out restarting the shift system. Principal Carlene Morton informed parents last week that there had been a “gentleman’s agreement’ with school management and the Ministry that they would have re-occupied the school in September, and if after two weeks there was a reoccurrence of symptoms, they would return to the shift system with the Washington Archibald High School used for the last term of the 2013-2014 school year. According to one teacher, Carty informed right away that the meeting would be brief. The teacher said Carty informed those teachers who claimed to be sick because of the school and wished to be transferred, could be. A teacher who lives in Sandy Point said she was willing to be moved as she has general health issues and the alleged health problems at BHS were not helping. The Observer was told shortly after she became unsteady on her feet and the principal had to rush from the head table where she sat with Ministry officials to assist the woman. An ambulance had to be called and the teacher taken to the JNF Hospital. A next educator said during the whole ordeal, “not one of the Ministry officials moved to see if they could help or ask if she was ok”. Teachers say transferring persons out is not the solution. Some of the sick teachers are heads of departments and teach 5th formers. With all the talk of transfers, the person told The Observer there was no mention of replacing those teachers. “It really seems as though those who are not transferred will have to double up on their workload. Or if they do bring in other teachers, will they be able to pick up where the others left off with those students who have to write exams?” When one teacher who has been vocal about her illnesses said she did not wish to be transferred because she had a primary schooler to take to and from school, she was informed that she would be transferred. “Have they done an assessment to see if the other schools can absorb more teachers; if the subjects they teach are transferable to the school they would be sent to?” one teacher asked. The Observer was reliably informed that Minister Carty said the shift system is “impractical”. Teachers referenced other islands that use the shift system as the everyday mode of operation. He was accused of saying the teachers were “finding fault” with everything that was done. He has said the remedial work done to address the health problems reached approximately $7 mil. Carty reportedly said the teachers were gravitating to the symptoms for each health issue discovered, having done so when mould was found on the campuses, they are now claiming to have symptoms associated with exposure to hydrogen sulfide. He told them CARIRI and CARPHA would return soon, but gave no date. Several teachers walked out of the meeting. Teachers say neither agency has been able to pin point the cause of the illnesses and they wished to have international assistance. The BHS staffers argue that the ambient air quality test carried out by CARIRI in August was done when the school was empty. They said the school should be retested now that it is occupied to see if the levels of hydrogen sulfide detected show increased levels when persons were at the school all day, especially using the toilets. “They want to say we are faking or imagining symptoms and we are doing so to cause confusion, then how do they explain the new teachers and students that started in September and are now sick?” a teacher said. Since this protesting began and the issue discussed on the airwaves once more, a number of teachers, including Principal Morton and SK Teachers’ Union president Bishop Ron Collins have come under personal verbal attacks on local talk shows and social media. A teacher said many others say they support the protests but fear being targeted or losing their jobs if they participate. “We had a staff meeting Wednesday and teachers declared they wanted to take a stand with those protesting but were afraid. Imagine even some parents are afraid to write their names clearly on the petition for fear of losing their jobs because they or someone in their family works for government. People are being intimidated in an effort to silence us in this very serious and dangerous situation at BHS.” Most of the teachers participating in the daily protests have opted to send students assignments via emails and have been grading assignments. During the latter half of the week however there were very little, if any, classes being taught. Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas has recently added his voice to the fray. He admitted that “the teachers and students continue to exist in fear that something could be wrong with their school environment”. He added however that the fear “is being fed by those who are motivated to engage in destructive emotional abuse” and who wish to use the situation to “do political battle with the government”. The Prime Minister, who reminded the population on Tuesday that he is a medical doctor and parent, said “nothing is wrong with the school” and the staff and students needed to “settle down”.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 16:27:15 +0000
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