Cape Town - Hundreds of pupils, teachers and parents marched to the Western Cape legislature calling for the reinstatement of suspended South Peninsula High School principal Brian Isaacs.
More than 300 people from the South Peninsula High School community delivered a memorandum to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), which was read by the chairman of the school’s governing body, Trevor Shepherd.
“We hereby call for the immediate lifting of the suspension of Brian Isaacs… Our ability to prepare learners for their roles in society has been consistently undermined by a few learners who are able to get away with ‘bad behaviour’ because of the systemic weaknesses within the education system.
“Teachers from all quarters are afraid to admonish or discipline students for fear of being reported because of an aggrieved student or parent,” Shepherd added.
Isaacs, who met the marchers at the legislature, told them he had walked out during his disciplinary hearing because they would not allow him to attend the march.
The memorandum was accepted by the WCED’s deputy director-general, John Lyners, who promised to hand it over to his seniors. Isaacs came under fire from the WCED for allegedly assaulting a Grade 12 pupil, calling another pupil “scum”, showing insolent behaviour towards a WCED circuit manager, and bringing the department into disrepute. He was found guilty on the four charges and suspended a month ago.
Ivan Leedenberg, a South Peninsula High school teacher, said he had been working with Isaacs for more than 15 years. “We believe that the WCED did not treat him fairly; we miss him at the school and want him back.”
He said under Isaacs’s leadership, the school had been obtaining a pass rate of 98 to 100 percent.
Derrick Naidoo, a parent of a pupil at the school, said Isaacs had a good way of tackling discipline.
The Cape Argus spoke to two pupils who are part of the Students Representative Council. Vice-chairwoman Wisaal Charles, 15, a Grade 11 pupil, said the department was making an example of Isaacs.
“They see him as an example for all the other teachers and principals because of ill-disciplined students who take advantage of the WCED’s standing.”
Michael Fisher, 17, in Grade 11 said: “We need our principal back in order to have a disciplined school.”
Cape Argus