Department probes abuse, mismanagement allegations at north school
The principal and school governing body at the Laerskool Theresapark were being investigated in connection with the allegations.
The Gauteng Education Department was investigating allegations of verbal abuse and financial mismanagement levelled against the principal and school governing body of Laerskool Theresapark, north of Pretoria, on Thursday.
The verbal abuse was allegedly targeted at teachers at the school and discovered through a voice note which was leaked from a WhatsApp group.
“We are investigating the allegation that have been levelled against the principal and school governing body. We will communicate the outcome thereof once the investigations are concluded,” department spokesperson Steve Mabona said.
A video showing the principal being hauled out of her office on a chair, in the school’s admin block, by irked parents went viral on social media.
In the video, the principal could be seen being carried out of the admin block and subsequently allegedly throwing herself onto the ground once outside, in full view of other on-looking parents.
Mabona said a circuit management team in the district had been dispatched to the school to mediate the fracas which unfolded between the principal and parents.
“We must express our disappointment in scenes of violence and intimidation at the said school that we witnessed on video clips shared with us this morning. Indeed, it is unfortunate that parents resorted to such conduct in a school environment, exposing our children to such unpalatable behaviour,” he said, adding that they were imploring parents to address their grievances amicably without disrupting teaching and learning at the school “as it is difficult to recover lost teaching time”.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Tsakani Miyen said the situation remained calm on Thursday afternoon, despite parents continuing to protest, demanding that the principal leave the school with immediate effect.
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