No leave for teacher / local govt candidate

NO LEAVE was given to the form one teacher who applied for retroactive no-pay leave while he campaigns as a candidate in the run-up to the local government election.

Richard Rampersad first said he was on sick leave while he was absent from school. One day later, he said he applied for no-pay leave and requested that the leave begin on November 11 and end December 4. The application was made on November 22.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia told Newsday that a letter was sent to the ministry on Monday requesting the time off. The request is now with the legal department, he said, along with a report from the director of school supervision from the line supervisor.

Garcia said Rampersad is not in school and that too is being discussed with the legal department who will pass on the information to the Teaching Service Commission – the body responsible for disciplining teachers.

After Newsday’s articles about Rampersad, a list of PNM candidates – who are also teachers – was sent to this paper alleging that they too were taking time away from school to campaign. Of those on the list, Newsday spoke with Marcia Marslin who is contesting the Petit Valley/Cocorite seat, Josel Hamilton, the candidate for Hindustan/St Mary’s and Maurice Alexander who is contesting the Siparia West/Fyzabad seat.

Jason Ali, who is competing against Alexander under the UNC, was also contacted. Ali said he does not need to campaign during school hours and begins his walkabouts around 4 pm daily. Ali added that he, like his opponent Alexander, is unmarried and has the time to adequately do both jobs. He said the contest for the seat is a battle of teachers adding, “May the best teacher win.”

Alexander, the incumbent councillor, laughed at the notion of having to leave work to campaign saying he did not have to in the last three years and will continue along that path if he wins. Marslin said she has enough vacation leave to fulfil all personal matters, and the working public is available after 4 pm, so campaigning during school hours is of no value. She said, of her 19 years teaching she could not recall the last time she used sick or no-pay leave.

Hamilton said she was a volunteer teacher and, since she was selected, stopped volunteering saying she did not want the school to be embroiled in her political career. A university student, Hamilton said she wants to teach and thought that volunteering as a teacher was a step in the right direction. If she wins and the school is in need of her, she said she will do both as volunteering is a part of who she is.

Rampersad is vying for the St Augustine South/Piano/St Helena seat while working as an art teacher at the Tranquillity Government Secondary School. There is no rule against teachers being councillors, Newsday was told by former president of the TT Unified Teachers Association Lynsley Doodhai.