Teachers at Alma Parris Secondary School are up in arms over the management style of their principal, and are emphasizing the Barbados Union of Teachers’ (BUT) view that another national school imbroglio is on the horizon.
Following the BUT’s call on the Minister of Education to “act now” or face the possibility of another inquiry similar to the one conducted last year into the affairs at Alexandra Secondary School, Alma Parris teachers yesterday described the school as tension-filled and called on principal Valdez Francis to go.
The teachers, who all asked not to be identified, called the SATURDAY SUN on the heels of the union’s comment and painted a picture of student indiscipline and fighting, lack of communication between the principal and staff, the principal’s ignoring of an oversight committee, and frustration among staff regarding timetables and new classes.
However, Francis denied that he had been ignoring the oversight committee set up last September. He conceded that there were issues at Alma Parris but “I will not be sidetracked” from what “I’m trying to bring to the school”.
