And in less harmonious news from the education sector, two teachers from the Corozal Methodist Primary School have been placed on administrative leave and a group of parents are up in arms over it. The parents allege that the principal has failed to address and find common ground on a number of their concerns. They may seem minor or superficial but it's a big deal for these parents - one of them being graduation, and child simulation month. Today they staged a protest in front of the school demanding that the teachers placed on leave should return, and their principal should properly consult them on school matters. Here's. what it looked like:
Barbara Acosta, Concerned Parent, CMS
"We are protesting because they put out some of our teachers. I am not certain how much but what we are basing ourselves on is that she put out 2 of our teachers from the preschool that she didn't even help us in stimulation month. Well I am not a mother or none of the kids but I am a grandmother of my 7 year old and my 2 4 year olds that are in preschool. For stimulation month mam we went the whole stimulation month without not a help from the principal when we had cultural day. You know what she did, she stood from afar like that like she didn't want to be with us like she is too better to be with us. I think as a principal and an educated person that she calls herself that is wrong, cooperation is everything. This is the worst methodist school has ever been and all my kids went to this school. Me I live in Altamira. I have Guadalupe school, I live one lane from Guadalupe school but I chose Methodist school because I like the school but the way the school is now it's gone."
"We want better for Methodist and we want our teachers back. Like what she says, she said we either go by her appliances or we come out. Why should an educated person speak like that? That is not right you have to deal with the fact since it's going to be like a year now and only one time we have met with that principal."
Voice of: Concern Parent
"It's not only the preschool teachers there are other teachers who are being victimized and well I have kids not only in preschool but I have kids in other classes and I have seen it and it's unfair."
"The main thing is the date, we are not agreeing with the date she wants the graduation to be along with the std 6 graduation which we refuse as the parents it's our money, we decide and we want to have a decision in this graduation we don't want it with the std6 graduation, we believe that they want their own separate graduation date which they can have time with their fellow classmates and they can enjoy it and take pictures. I had an experience which my son graduated from std 6 and my daughter graduated from preschool it was a clash because I had to run out and I couldn't take any pictures with my child I still do not have any pictures because I had to hurry rush out and get my son ready and get back for the other graduation I don't think that would work."
"We would hope that our teachers would come back because that is number one I guess she wants to come to a conclusion with us but does not want the teacher there because it's her personal preference of not wanting the teacher there either I don't what is her problem of victimising these teachers and other teachers in the school ground but the conclusion is I want the teachers back, those are our babies teachers and she was not there during the stimulation month she did not show her face and she told us the parents that th preschoolers did not give her an invitation and I don't think the preschool has to give you an invitation you have been dictating from day one."
We did reach out to the Principal Celeny Rhaburn for a comment but up to news time had not gotten a response.
One of her supporters told us the teachers wanted to change graduation to a different day without permission.
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