THE parents of an Athlone Grade 12 learner have opened a case of intimidation against her principal following allegations of bullying.
The case was registered at the Athlone police station against Ned Doman High School principal, Gwynne Philander.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed that an investigation was under way.
At the centre of the alleged harassment is an amount of R3 500 that the learner and fellow classmates raised in 2022 in preparation for this year's matric jackets, which the principal allegedly now demanded for other uses.
The learner's mother, Shanaaz Button, pleaded with education officials to protect her daughter from the alleged intimidation.
"She's in Grade 12 and only 16 years old. Please don't hurt her no more,“ said Button, who together with her husband, Waleed, also lodged a complaint with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).
The learner's woes started on February 8 after pupils protested against the school's decision to cancel a Valentine's Day initiative to raise funds and the alleged demand by the principal for access to the 2022 money.
“I went to fetch my daughter from school as I always do. However, I was told by other learners that she was being detained by the principal. I went to enquire from him and was told that police were called for my daughter as she allegedly instigated the student action. But no police arrived.”
In voice recordings, a teacher could be heard in the background making threats against the learners.
A few days later Button received a call from her daughter's class teacher to fetch her as the school was “unsafe for her”.
“I was not allowed on the school premises and the teacher had to speak to me at the gate,” she said.
Even though her daughter returned to school this week, fears for her safety increased after her parents received a letter demanding that they return the money raised during the event held outside the school premises and was being kept by their daughter who was elected as treasurer of the fundraising team.
The letter, seen by Weekend Argus, was issued in the name of the SGB chairperson and demanded that Button deposited the money “collected on behalf of learners on 29 October 2022 into the school bank account by 20 February”.
The letter stated: “It has been brought to our attention that you have failed to submit a complete breakdown and explanation of all income and expenses of the event to the SGB or the school principal. It is alleged that between R3500 and R4000 was collected at the event.”
When the learner's father, Waleed, approached the school for an explanation, Philander could be heard on voice recordings, raising his voice against the parent.
This was not the first time the school was involved in controversy.
Some sources close to the school alleged that teachers who stood up against the “psychological abuse” of learners were driven out.
“It’s a toxic environment where the principal bursts into classrooms and bullies teachers and shouts at learners,” alleged the source, who added: “I don’t understand how he gets away with this behaviour, even though he is reported to the department.”
Another parent, Gairoe Leeuwenhuis, said her Grade 11 son was at Ned Doman for two terms last year until the principal allegedly dismissed him.
“He came back saying that the principal told him to go find a job. As parents we were never told anything about this. His academic performance was good and his behaviour, too. We never received any complaints prior to the dismissal.”
The pupil could not return to school this year to complete his education due to the decision.
Leewenhuis also lodged a complaint with the WCED.
The complaints come amid calls for the employment of social workers at black schools to help learners deal with trauma.
Founder of Malihambe Women’s Outreach, an organisation that offers help to communities, Nosipho Daniels said there was a dire need for such services.
“Most learners have traumatic experiences and have no one to turn to for help. The WCED needs to hire social workers to provide the services,” she said.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that Button’s letter was received on the evening of February 13, 2023.
“The matter was referred to the district for further investigation as these are new allegations.
“Recent allegations were made against the school by a political party which were investigated. The facts of these allegations were inconsistent with the allegations lodged,” Hammond said.
ANC Education spokesperson Khalid Sayed said his party had on numerous occasions raised concerns over the principal’s behaviour.
“He's been intimidating learners, undermining the learner representative council (LRC) and doing it unabated and the WCED is apparently protecting him,“ said Sayed.
Weekend Argus