Hidden racism
RACISM in the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) seems to be acceptable to the powers in the Western Cape. This is if one looks at the accusations of racism in 2016 made by the pupils of San Souci High School in Newlands (a privileged school not critical of the department’s unsound educational policies) against its principal Ms Charmaine Murray. The department placed her on leave (not suspension).
Debbie Schäfer immediately visited the school. The department instituted an inquiry that lasted for months.
The department has not released its findings to the public. Yet it has announced that Ms Murray has retired as of December 31, 2016, owing to the “trauma” she suffered at the school. It also commends her for her outstanding work done at the school. Brian Screuder, acting head of the department, praises her for her “distinguished” teaching career.
He makes no mention of the trauma suffered by the pupils of San Souci. Yet at SPHS (a disadvantaged school where I was principal and critical of the department’s unsound educational policies) the department instituted no inquiry into accusations that I brought it into disrepute.
I was charged and immediately suspended. The GB wrote to Schäfer to meet the school community. Up to now she has not done so. The department speedily completed its disciplinary case against myself and lined up two other disciplinary hearings against me. These charges will not hold up in the High Court of SA. The department subsequently fired me. My only “sin” was to speak truth to power. The department was at pains to state that SPHS is a good school (it did not want to admit it is an excellent school, yet it placed the school as a top 30 school among hundreds of high schools in the WC based on 2015 matric results) and SPHS’s performance cannot be attributed to the principal, but to all the teachers. I make this comparison because I want to draw some conclusions about these two cases:
WCED favours the interests of privileged schools.This is a form of hidden racism.
WCED rewards schools subservient to its views on education.
The department must make public its findings. If there is evidence that she could be guilty of racism it should lay charges against her with the police.
If found guilty by the courts she must face the consequences. It is known that the DA advises its members who have problems with people who think differently to them to accuse them of racism and lay charges of racism.
I am about to make an application to the National Public Protector’s Office to have the workings of the department investigated, especially its labour relations. Brian Isaacs Former principal of SPHS Lansdowne