Belmopan Baptist High School has had more than its share of worries over the past few months - after its former principal, Norman Willacey was dismissed for an inappropriate relationship with a female student. Willacey wasn't any old principal: he had been there from the school opened - so replacing him would inevitably cause some transitional tremors.
And so, tonight, the heat is on Willacey's replacement Delvorine Hamilton, the former vice principal who was thrust into the job a week before school opened in August.
It hasn't been easy going - as the staff had issues going back to Willacey's time. It culminated in a mass student and teacher walkout this morning - and 7news was there when it happened.
Daniel Ortiz reports:..
Daniel Ortiz reporting
At 8:30 this morning, the entire student body at the Belmopan Baptist High School attended classes as per normal. 10 minutes later, however, they all walked out as part of an industrial action in solidarity with teaching staff.
It's a situation that has slowly been brewing since the departure of the former principal, Pastor Norman Willacey.
The action is part of the faculty's statement to the administration about the direction that the school is going under the administration of the acting principal, Delvorine Hamilton.
They spoke to us on an extensive list of complaints that they have about the way she is exercising her authority.
Pedro Cal - Teacher/BNTU School Rep.
"Today what we are going to do is we are going to go on a go-slow. What we mean is that we will not be teaching. We will go sit in our classroom and we will rest for the day until all of this is address. What we want is that we want 3 things; 1) we want the principal to be removed. We feel that she is not able to carry out her responsibilities. Since the board members are her choice, we want the board members to be selected again maybe from a more democratic process. We don't want anybody to be selected by the principal anymore as a board member. The next thing is that the position of the vice principal should be given to somebody who has been here throughout the years so that we can see more development for the school because we want the school to be better. We want all students, all teachers to feel welcome in this place."
A very strong position indeed, but the teachers say that it is the only solution to the mismanagement currently taking place.
Pedro Cal - Teacher/BNTU School Rep.
"Early as last week, one of our teachers has been terminated without due process. An individual who teaches here was fired then re-hired to replace Mr. Zuniga. We see that this is a very irresponsible thing to do on behalf of the principal, that's the second issue. The next issue is that the principal's position has been advertised two times. In the first instance it was advertised on a Friday and they expect applicants to apply on a Tuesday and the interview on Wednesday. On the second instance, because we met with the board members they extend that and they say they will advertise it again for two weeks which didn't happen."
Pamela Lino - teacher
"Two weeks prior to the opening of classes I was instructed that I am going to be teaching integrated science. I have been hired here since 2006 teaching principles of business and OA. Integrated science is new to me, far fetch from my field of expertise. In all of my correspondence given to them I request justification for that and to date I got none. Finally they decided to send me a letter with no justification at all telling me that I will now be teaching literature and focus reading to first form."
Pedro Cal - Teacher/BNTU School Rep.
"The vice principal's husband is the POB and OA teacher who is Mr. Waight. We can see that its partiality."
Alex Briceno - teacher
"The principal told me that the Ministry of Education is only approving two teachers for the school, so some teachers had to be let go, which we got the understanding that Mrs. Felipa Apolonio was to be removed because they did not approved a counselor. What happen then is that she (principal) told me that they will need me to teach PE. I went on and said that I will take on the position not knowing that Mrs. Apolonio was going to teach religion because they did not accept her as the counselor."
Pedro Cal - Teacher/BNTU School Rep.
"There are vacancies that are being advertised for people that are already here - they are already filled. Why would you re-advertise it?"
We weren't convinced that the students were supporting the industrial action for the right reasons. So, we asked them pointedly about their motives:
Student
"I am fed up just like the rest of the teachers and students. I am putting my foot down today."
Student
"I decided to support the teachers because Hamilton doesn't know what she is doing in the office."
Student
"Even if we were not doing this we would still have a free period because the teachers is not here."
Student
"We out here are in support of it because we decided that as students, not only teachers but when we go to another school or anywhere else we look dumb because we are not learning anything because our teachers sometimes don't come to school, then they are firing the good teachers. All of this is happening and we as students support this. We are willing to take one day off for this."
And we tried to speak with the administration ourselves, but the staff inside refused to come out or allow us in.
And, when the vice principal did address us, she accused us of being biased and scandalous.
And, at about 10 a.m., the administration made the decision to send the students home.
This cancellation of classes ended the entire day, escalating what should have been a 1-period walk out and continuation of the normal day's session.
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