Cape Town - South Peninsula High School principal Brian Isaacs, who was fired on Friday, has accused the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) of trying to buy him off by offering him retirement with full benefits.
But the outspoken principal, who turned 62 on Sunday, told the Cape Argus that he had refused this offer.
“WCED tried to buy me off. WCED offered me retirement with full benefits but I had to leave school immediately. I refuse to be bought off,” he said in an e-mail to the Cape Argus.
Earlier this year Isaacs was found guilty of various misconduct charges and in June the presiding officer in the hearing against him recommended his dismissal.
He then lodged an appeal with Western Cape Education MEC Debbie Schäfer.
On Friday Schäfer announced her decision to dismiss his appeal and released a document outlining her findings.
Isaacs said: “Mine is not a monetary fight but is based on a principled stance. Money cannot buy me. If WCED wanted to exonerate me from charges if I will retire what is the basis for firing me in the first place? This is intimidation and victimisation.”
But Schäfer’s spokeswoman, Jessica Shelver, said there had been no intimidation whatsoever.
“In view of the fact that there were several matters involving Mr Isaacs and the Department, without prejudice and confidential settlement negotiations were conducted between the lawyers acting for both parties to try and reach an agreement that would be in the best interest of both parties. It was felt that these matters could take a lot of time and money to resolve if not settled and that it would be preferable to reach an agreement to settle all disputes and pending disciplinary cases against Mr Isaacs.”
Shelver said that after an initial proposal was received from Isaacs’ lawyer, “a very reasonable counter-proposal” was made to Isaacs, who took two weeks before rejecting the proposal without making any further or counter-proposals.
“That meant that the appeal had to be concluded. In view of the overwhelming evidence against Mr Isaacs, legal advice obtained from senior counsel was that there was no basis on which to uphold his appeal and that the decision by Mr Justice Nedzamba, the independent presiding officer who had dismissed him, should stand. The details of settlement negotiations are not disclosed by their very nature, especially in circumstances where the parties agreed that it would be conducted on a without prejudice’ basis.”
Isaacs said his only offence had been “speaking truth to power”.
“I stand by the dictum I have believed in, since my parents were forcibly evicted from Claremont to the miserable conditions of the Cape Flats, that one speaks truth to power no matter the consequences. The hurt my parents suffered lives on in me,” he said.
Isaacs said Schäfer had defamed him
“She has released a document which I consider a vicious attack on my person. I therefore have to respond in public.”
He said the department had “waged a relentless attack on my person” by bringing three sets of disciplinary hearings against him.
Isaacs said the third hearing against him had not yet started and should have been concluded one month after he was suspended in March.