Parents Sit-in At North Eleuthera High in Protest of The Principal's Abrupt Transfer Notice

The Eleutheran in conversation with leaders of the North Eleuthera PTA on scene at the early morning protest

The Parent Teachers Association (PTA) with the support of many parents turned up to classes at the North Eleuthera High School this morning in place of their children. According to Garnell Bethel, president of the PTA, the protest action was being taken in opposition to an order of transfer sent to the Principal and Senior Mistress by the Ministry of Education, late on Friday January 22, 2010.

Parents at the peaceful protest were uniform in their surprise of the supposed transfer and expressed strong support for Principal Deal, who many say has brought an admirable level of discipline to the school and overseen significant improvements in grades, during her brief tenure since September 2009. 

In our presence, parents exchanged stories of measured actions she had taken with their kids, in her so far seemingly successful efforts to raise the positive profile of the institution that suffered serious problems in the terms prior to her arrival.

The proposed changes within Education on the Islands of Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells, communicated to us but yet to be confirmed, involved several schools and may have also affected the position of the District Education Officer(DEO) on the island.

According to Mrs. Francis Friend, Human Resources Officer at the Eleuthera District Education Office, no official notices of transfer had been received by that office at press time.  Based on our knowledge, the normal chain of transfer involves notification being given to that office, and then sent on to the pertinent school officials.  Mr. Kirkwood Cleare, who until Friday, January 22, served as principal of the Rock Sound High School, informed The Eleutheran that as of today he is serving in the capacity of Acting DEO and Mr. Smith, who was in office as DEO up to Friday was said to be on vacation leave.

Parents and the Prinicipal expressed disappointment with what some described as  'misleading' and 'surprising' comments made by the Minister on radio Monday morning. The president of the PTA on national radio also requested his presence to deal with their concerns.

The Eleutheran was on the scene, in North Eleuthera, this morning and is following up on a slew of information to bring more details to light.