Some Carlton Francis teachers threaten sit-out over principal

Some Carlton Francis teachers threaten sit-out over principal

Director of education urged teachers to work out their differences

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Despite being a week away from the start of a new academic year, teachers of Carlton E. Francis Primary claimed yesterday that they will not be present if the sitting principal Oliva Daxon is not removed from her post.

According to Vernon Rogers, Area Vice President for the Bahamas Union of Teachers, there is a divide between staff members due to what teachers claim has been “unfair” treatment by Daxon.

Rogers claimed, “The morale of the teachers is done and it’s affecting the students.”

He continued, “We are asking that the Ministry of Education please come here, after two years of ongoing letters to the director’s office and to the superintendent’s office

“These issues are ongoing and need to be solved before the start of next week when school starts.

“We know not concerning teachers [that] type of disrespectful behavior is not tolerated here.”

Miss Newbold, a teacher at the school, claimed, “She (Daxon) would move us from one classroom to another classroom, not saying where we are moving. I’ve never been disrespectful all my life and we are standing together and we are saying enough is enough.”

The teachers expressed a laundry list of concerns, but poor leadership, and a lack of respect topped the list.

Another teacher, Miss Mckenzie, said, “The school is really divided; nobody is thinking about our students. Our students have to come her next week Monday.

“When you come back after two years of being victimized and you see the same person who has been victimizing you, then you come to this, Miss Daxon must go.”

When contacted, Ministry of Education Director Marcellus Taylor said the teachers should put the personalities aside and attempt to work things out.

“Anybody can interpret any action the way they wish, if we are going to talk about rude and disrespectful it goes both ways,” Taylor said. “Look at the amount of people who don’t like me. The teachers are there to follow the command and teach. It would be nice if we can get along, but the most important thing is to drop personalities.”

Attempts to reach Daxon were unsuccessful.

Last March, teachers at Stephen Dillet Primary School sought to oust school’s principal Phyllis Johnson by engaging in a sit out.

The ministry did not comply.