Union slams ‘racist’ teacher
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) has weighed in on allegations of racism at Westville Girls’ High School, saying that teachers with racist tendencies have no place in the classroom.
In a statement issued yesterday, the union’s provincial chief executive officer for KwaZulu-Natal, Thirona Moodley, said racist teachers “had the power to influence young minds and undo the strides our democracy has made”.
The statement follows the resignation of teacher Danielle de Bruyn after it was revealed that she had used the derogatory “k-word” while “debating” with pupils last week.
According to reports, De Bruyn used popular novel To Kill a Mockingbird to highlight farm murders and land expropriation in South Africa and land grabs in Zimbabwe in the early 2000s.
The book is set in a fictional town in 1930s Alabama in the US and deals with racism in the socalled deep south.
Moodley said it was unfortunate that teachers, who were supposed to be “agents of democracy and the custodians of our children rights”, resorted to racism when delivering the curriculum.
“It’s alleged this teacher alluded to the land expropriation debate and went so far as to compare South Africa to Zimbabwe. Naptosa appeals to teachers to be guarded and not to share their personal views with young, impressionable pupils,” she said.
“Although the teacher in question has subsequently resigned, she may still be investigated [by the South African Council for Educators].
“Parents must be alerted to this and report to the management of the school. It is the responsibility of the principal to treat all complaints seriously and investigate and report back to the parent. Often complaints from parents are ignored,” she said.
In a general letter sent to parents on Tuesday, principal Catherine Raw said she was “saddened and troubled” about the incident in which De Bruyn had shared “her biased opinion of the South African political situation.
“By doing this, not only did she break the law and violate the code of the school, but she also created a hurtful and unsafe environment for pupils in her class. An investigation was launched into the incident on Friday,” she said.
Raw said De Bruyn had asked for an opportunity to apologise to the class, but this would not affect the investigation process. – ANA
Not only did she break the law and violate the school’s code, she also created a hurtful and unsafe environment for pupils in her class.