Michael Nkalane and Quinton Mtyala
THE provincial Education Department’s axing of South Peninsula High School (SPHS) principal Brian Isaacs has been widely condemned as undemocratic and an onslaught on education.
Isaacs was dismissed yesterday following a disciplinary inquiry. He has five days to appeal the decision.
“He was found guilty of giving false statements concerning his employer, in terms of the Employment of Educators’ Act. The presiding officer found Isaacs guilty of two charges of disrespect or abusive or insolent behaviour towards officials, and not guilty of issuing an unlawful instruction to a staff member,” Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Paddy Attwell said. He would not elaborate.
“We need to respect the process at this stage, until the minister has received an appeal or the five days have lapsed
. We are therefore in no position to provide further comment on the matter until the process has been exhausted,” Attwell said.
But supporters of Isaacs said he was being victimised because he spoke his mind.
Progressive Principals’ Association (PPA) chairperson Riyaadh Najaar said: “I believe he was fired for speaking his mind. That is how democracy is enhanced. Freedom of expression is enshrined in the constitution. It is what we fought to achieve before 1994.”
He said Isaacs was dismissed for exercising his constitutional rights when he wrote letters to the media criticising education policies.
Isaacs’ dismissal was an indictment of the conduct and quality of Education Department officials, Najaar said.
“This could have been handled differently. They could have informed him before he was fired.
“He was told this morning. We (PPA) are shocked and disappointed that 30 years’ excellent service can be wiped this way. He took his school to greater heights in his 30 years at the helm,” he said, calling Isaacs’ sacking undemocratic and an on-slaught on education.
“More than 150 PPA members are dissatisfied. We are 100 percent behind him.
“We will assist him if he decides to appeal. Where will we find an educator of his calibre?”
SPHS Community Support Forum chairperson Enrico Marinus said Isaacs’ record “speaks for itself”.
“There’s consensus from the community and Brian (Isaacs) that there are problems in our education and these need to be addressed,” said Marinus.
He questioned why the department was taking action against Isaacs now, who has been at the school for almost 40 years. “If they go ahead with the decision, he’s going to challenge it. He’s passionate about education,” said Marinus.
ANC provincial spokesperson on education Theo Olivier said Isaacs’ dismissal was a “sad chapter” for education.
“He’s been instrumental in raising pertinent issues (in education) and there’s been an element of victimisation by the department,” said Olivier.
In a Facebook post, Greater Civic Alliance chairperson Phillip Bam said: “I am having great difficulty in believing that the unnecessarily harsh sanction meted out to Brian Isaacs is not victimisation and revenge of the worst order imaginable. His principled stand on issues is now being punished.
“I am ready to commit a thousand or two to his appeal. If all of us who believe in this brilliant educationist will put our money where our mouths are, we can strike a blow against big power abuse and revengeful manipulation of state institutions by small- minded people.”
At the time of suspension in March, the controversial Isaacs indicated he would fight it “because the WCED is trying exceptionally hard to tarnish my reputation and integrity as a teacher, school academic and as a person”.
Shortly after his suspension hundreds of the school’s parents, teachers and pupils demanded he be reinstated.
Isaacs has been critical of the government’s education policies, particularly on maintaining standards, and had voiced criticism of the Annual National Assessments, saying they served no educational value and were damaging to pupils. He could not be reached yesterday
.