Not without a fight

THERE seems to be a deafening silence raging around the unfortunate, unfair and dismally devastating saga of harassment and final dismissal of Brian Isaacs.

As my education icon, he spent his whole life and teaching career fighting for the rights of not only the learners, educators and support staff, but for a proper, holistic, free, compulsory, non-racial system of education to be implemented.

This silence is especially noticeable in contrast to the previous overwhelming support he received in the form of marches, placard demonstrations, meetings, editorials and other forms of protest action.

I am proud to say that Isaacs has certainly not been silent and said that he will not be silenced by the forces stacked against him.

He has been steadfast and even more vocal and determined to prove to the vindictive, lame and unrelenting education authorities that he is not going to let them off the hook and have it their way.

I want to unequivocally endorse and support the uncompromising stand taken by Isaacs against the stubborn supposed-to-be education hierarchy.

The education authorities have consistently pointed out that they have been acting within all statutory and legal constraints. Yes.

What they did was perhaps legal and therefore right according to them, but was it morally and educationally right?

It would appear that whenever one speaks “truth to power” and cross education principle swords with the Western Cape Education Department then it is misconstrued as “bringing the department into disrepute” and you are then taught a lesson through suspension/dismissal and also to warn any other educators or principals who might follow in Isaacs footsteps.

I would strongly recommend that the WCED immediately withdraw the dismissal of Isaacs, reinstate him as the rightful and legitimate Principal of South Peninsula High School in order to execute his mission in line with the motto of the school, which states: “Not to be served, but to serve.” Lionel Adriaan Elsies River