Cape Town - Emotions continue to run high at Heathfield High School, as the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has now requested parents to assist in stabilising matters.
Teaching and learning was disrupted by a group of pupils and community members on Monday following the arrival of two new caretaker principals at the school.
In video footage, a group of pupils are seen outside the principal’s office door chanting that they want their former principal Wesley Neumann to be reinstated.
Neumann’s dismissal came into effect on May 20 after he announced his decision to decline the WCED’s demotion offer.
This, after a disciplinary committee in October last year found the principal guilty of six charges of misconduct that emanated from his refusal to reopen the school in June 2020, during the Covid-19 peak.
In a letter to the Heathfield High School community, Neumann said he rejected the offer as a matter of principle.
“I want to reiterate that throughout this period, my intentions and actions were motivated in the children’s best interests.
“I maintain my innocence of any wrongdoing. This case has been politically and personally contrived against me by the former MEC and HOD of Education, Debbie Schäfer and Brian Schreuder.
“I have resolved to fight this matter to the bitter end. In pursuit of justice, regrettably, this will mean my temporary end of employment at Heathfield High School.”
Neumann expressed gratitude to the school community and all his supporters over the past two years.
According to Neumann’s lawyer Vernon Seymour, the way forward was to approach the independent bargaining council to challenge the WCEDs decisions.
“In our view the decision to dismiss Neumann is deeply flawed in several respects which, in our view, renders his dismissal unfair.
“He has decided to challenge the dismissal in the Education Labour Relations Council, which is the bargaining council that has a mandate to resolve the disputes within the education sector,” said Seymour.
WCED’s spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “The WCED has employed two seasoned educationalists to manage and stabilise the school until a permanent principal is employed.
While teaching and learning resumed this morning, and the situation seemingly stable, there was a sudden outburst of violence which resulted in damages to the administration block and some vehicles. The behaviour of the learners and members of the community cannot be tolerated. The disruption led to the further loss of teaching and learning time negatively impacting upon those that want to continue teaching and learning.” Hammond called on all the parents of the pupils at school to assist in stabilising the school “by ensuring that their children prioritise their future learning opportunities by not participating in illegal or disruptive activities.”
She said the demand for Neumann’s reinstatement as principal or even as a teacher at the school was not legally possible.
“Mr Neumann decided to reject the offer of demotion to a Head of Department post (with the opportunity to apply for a principal post after a 12-month period), as an alternative to dismissal.
“This offer was made to him by the previous provincial Minister of Education as the appeal authority and his refusal thereof renders the dismissal final and all internal procedures exhausted.
“He has now declared his intention to take this matter further legally by referring it to the relevant Bargaining Council. The decision by the provincial Minister of Education is final and cannot be revisited in the absence of statutory authority. The merits of this case will now be determined in the appropriate forum,” said Hammond.
ANC education spokesperson Khalid Sayed said no amount of deflecting would “exonerate the WCED from the crisis”.
“What transpired at Heathfield High School this morning is self orchestrated chaos and should be placed squarely at the WCED's doorstep.”
SADTU in the province said it’s disappointed at how the WCED chose to handle the matter.
Cape Times