Education MEC ponders Isaacs appeal

THE provincial Education Department is mum on dismissed South Peninsula High School principal Brian Isaacs’s appeal, saying it will not comment on the case until Education MEC Debbie Schäfer has ruled on the matter.

”As I said before, she (Schäfer) is currently considering the appeal and obtaining legal advice. There is no stipulated time frame in which the minister has to consider the appeal,” Schäfer’s spokesperson, Jessica Shelver, said yesterday.

Asked on what grounds Isaacs appealed, Shelver said: “You will need to ask Mr Isaacs. We are not able to disclose this information.”

Isaacs could not be reached yesterday.

A disciplinary hearing found Isaacs guilty on two charges of disrespect or abusive or insolent behaviour towards officials. He was also found guilty of giving false statements concerning his employer.

The hearing’s chairperson recommended Isaacs be dismissed.

While Isaacs is appealing the dismissal, the Education Department has appointed his deputy, Zeid Baker, as acting principal.

On Friday, staff at South Peninsula High wrote to Schäfer, asking her to be lenient and let Isaacs return as principal at the school.

“The staff of South Peninsula High School calls on you, the MEC of Education, to withdraw unconditionally the charges against Mr Isaacs and lift the suspension order so that he may be reinstated in the interest of education.

“It is perhaps in the category of discipline that Mr Isaacs remains most reputable and enduring. SP (South Peninsula) is proud to uphold high standards of discipline.

“Indeed, parents opt to send their children to our school because of the impeccable standards of discipline that are maintained. These high standards of discipline ensure that optimal levels of teaching and learning are possible,” the letter read.

“The school has produced excellent results when he was principal. Obviously the teachers are grieving and the students are missing him, no doubt. As a school we support Mr Isaacs because he has a good track record,” Baker said yesterday.

Staff at the school want the principal to return