by Brandon de Kock
Open letter to Premier Alan Winde, MEC Education Debbie Schafer, Western Cape Government
It is with great concern that we note that you attended to the matter at Brackenfell High but that you have not responded to an equally important matter at Heathfield High School.
As the School Governing Body, we wrote to you personally to bring to your attention a community dispute that exists between the Western Cape Education Department and Heathfield High School Community.
Unfortunately, you did not bother to respond to our letter.
The Western Cape Education Department is charging our school principal, Mr Wesley Neumann, for supporting the view of the School Governing Body during the height of the Covid19 pandemic. As far as can be ascertained, Mr Neumann is the only educator facing charges related to the Covid-19 virus and the closing of schools not only in South Africa, but throughout the world.
We requested an opportunity to meet you to make representations as to what transpired during this period. We are of a strong view the Western Cape Education Department misinterpreted the situation at Heathfield High School that led to disciplinary action against Mr Neumann.
It is unfortunate that you chose not to engage our school, but deem it important to defend the alleged racist acts at Brackenfell High School and shunned our school community – is it because our school serves a marginalised and disenfranchised community?
It was and still is our respectful view that a meeting between yourself and the School Governing Body will assist you in gaining a better understanding of the situation at Heathfield High School which could lead to an amicable resolution between the WCED and the school. We have previously written to the HOD of WCED to request a meeting in this regard, however, with no success.
We sincerely hope you will accede to our request to meet you urgently.
* Brandon de Kock, Heathfield High School, SGB treasurer.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Cape Argus
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