Methodist students told, forego test for protest

YVONNE WEBB

Parents of students attending the San Fernando Methodist Primary School have advised their children to forego their end of term examination to send a strong message to their acting principal Swain David that he is no longer welcome at the school. This latest action comes in the wake of the Teaching Service Commission’s refusal to consider his request for a transfer.

Students and their parents have been engaged in renewed protest action since Monday and president of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) Darren Mc Leod said this action will continue for the rest of the week to show how serious they are about David’s removal.

Mc Leod has also put the commission on notice, of pending protests outside its head office from next Monday if the issue is not resolved by Friday.

In an interview yesterday, Mc Leod said the commission has refused to consider a letter from David seeking transfer to another school. David’s reinstatement to the school on November 8, after a sexual molestation charge against him was dismissed in the San Fernando Magistrate’s Court, has sparked outrage by parents and teachers.

There have been several attempts to get him removed including meetings with Minister of Education Anthony Garcia, the Methodist school board, the PTA and the commission which have not achieved any success to date.