Principal locks out 'disruptive' pupils

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bodhi

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http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20080117110539505C552171

A city school principal has dug in his heels and refused to accept five "disruptive" schoolchildren for the new year, saying he was prepared to lose his job in order to instil discipline at his school.

The five pupils arrived at South Peninsula High School in Diep River on Wednesday for the first day of school, but they were told to leave by the principal, Brian Isaacs.

The move has prompted irate parents to threaten to report Isaacs to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and they have also laid a charge of crimen injuria with the police, accusing the principal of using foul language while talking to their children.

The Western Cape Education Department is investigating the incident "as a matter of urgency", said Gert Witbooi, spokesperson for Education MEC Cameron Dugmore.

However, Isaacs has the backing of the school's Parent, Teacher and Student Association and he told the Cape Argus he would walk (out of the school) with his head high if necessary, but would not back down.

Isaacs is known to be passionate about education and he has a long history with the school having first been a pupil, then a teacher and now principal at the school.

"Education is serious business. Teachers are here to teach, not to discipline children. That must be done at home," said Isaacs.

"I know it's illegal and it's not education policy to throw them out but it's in the interest of the other pupils and the school.

"We as teachers want to be respected. You can't teach at a school where there is no discipline," he said.

The five boys who were thrown out on Wednesday are among 10 children who were "ousted" by the principal and issued with letters last year telling them not to return to school in 2008.

One of the suspended pupils had 34 transgressions in 2006 and 22 last year, according to his file.

After the five were excluded from class at 9.30am, eight parents gathered outside the school gates waiting to meet an education department official "before taking the matter further".

The parents of the excluded children have also accused Isaacs of demeaning the pupils after they said they had been called "rubbish" and "scumbags of the earth" by the principal while he marched them out of the school.

One mother said she had received letters since 2004 but it was the first time her child had been forced to leave the school.

"It's now a human rights issue. They are denied education and they are embarrassed in front of other children.

"We are taking the issue to the Human Rights Commission as we feel our children are harshly punished for petty transgressions," she said.

The parents said they would not take the easy way out which was to take their children to other schools but "will fight for justice".

"We want the department to discipline him - he can't be above the law," said one father.

Witbooi said the Education Department was investigating whether the correct procedure had been followed in refusing to accept the pupils.
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If the parents can't discipline their children, and their "pampered" children are disruptive to the rest of the pupils, then the school have the fullest right to deny access to those disruptive pupils - what of the other pupils rights to study in a non-disruptive atmosphere then?

34 transgressions? That's 33 too much... should've got clamped down at the beginning...
 
The_Librarian said:
If the parents can't discipline their children, and their "pampered" children are disruptive to the rest of the pupils, then the school have the fullest right to deny access to those disruptive pupils - what of the other pupils rights to study in a non-disruptive atmosphere then?

34 transgressions? That's 33 too much... should've got clamped down at the beginning...
Click to expand...

Discipline should start at home indeed. The principal was lenient enough to allow 34 transgressions!
 
I think the pupils are trying to get back at the principal by alleging he said "rubbish" and "scumbags"... will have to wait and see what a court says or whatever happens next...
 
If they win the case, they will be even more disruptive, as they will feel that they are untouchable.

Hope the principles decision is upheld.
 
Why dont you just expel the little f@ckers, or cant you do that anymore either?

This principal deserves a medal!
 
Sounds like he IS a No 1 person...Maby what he did was wrong, but he had a very good reason i think...One thing for sure...If he did as stated on behalf of the other children, he's got all my respect...
 
"It's now a human rights issue. They are denied education and they are embarrassed in front of other children.

"We are taking the issue to the Human Rights Commission as we feel our children are harshly punished for petty transgressions," she said.
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This always happens: The kids couldnt care about anyone else's human rights or denying education and they are literally scum, then once a school takes action the parents make as if their children are angels.

SP High is very close to me, and I doubt anyone wants to teach the worst 10 kids from that school.
 
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Its good to see that there are still levelheaded people in the public education system. And the parents want to take him to a Human Rights Commission. Clearly ignorance runs in the family.
 
I especially liked this part:

"One mother said she had received letters since 2004 but it was the first time her child had been forced to leave the school."

WTF :confused:

Is she not embarrassed to admit that her child is miscreant?

Anyway I agree with the principal although I don't think it's above him to have called them those names, my principal was a @sshole and it was definitely his style to throw names around and spend the school budget on rugby :rolleyes:
 
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