For 16 years, Cyrilene Willoughby would listen to the problems and issues facing students at The Alexandra School in her role as guidance counsellor.
The long-time teacher told a commission of inquiry today that five years ago, it all changed, and instead of students, it was teachers she had to counsel.
According to Willoughby, on almost every occasion when teachers were frustrated, their source of discomfort was principal Jeff Broomes.
Willoughby, the second witness to testify today and a former Alexandra student, said some teachers were in tears when they brought their problems to her office.
“They told me the principal had ordered them out of his office. They were so distraught, they were in tears, and obviously needed time to gather themselves. Some of them appeared overwhelmed.”
Some of them would complain they got nowhere with the principal relating to discussing their subject or department concerns.
In response to a question from the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union’s junior counsel Saffron Griffith, Willoughby said her office was in the administration block and a far distance from the principal’s office, so it wasn’t a case of the teachers just passing by.
“They were coming to my office to see me,” she insisted. (BA)
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