Call for the powers that be to reinstate school principal Wesley Neumann
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South Africa Cape Town 05- october- 2022- Wesley Neumann during the media briefing on Teacher's Day and community in support of Neumann. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane African News (ANA)
All over the world, national education departments were very sympathetic to schools that had to deal with the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic from 2020.
Only in the Western Cape did the education department take action against a principal, Wesley Neumann, who tried very hard to protect his students against this dreaded disease.
Neumann was one of 120 principals in the Western Cape who called upon the president of South Africa, the premier of the WC, the national and provincial education heads to delay the opening of schools for the third term in 2020.
The president of South Africa heeded the call of schools in SA and closed schools in July 2020.
The president agreed with Neumann, principal of Heathfield High, to delay the opening of schools until it was safe for students to return.
However, the WCED felt it was necessary to haul Neumann to a disciplinary hearing and find him guilty of disobeying the WCED.
Neumann was offered an opportunity to go to one of three schools as a head of department.
He refused to do so and his matter is will be dealt with by the Education Labour Relations’ Council ( ELRC) later this month.
The WCED is contesting this and wants the matter to be heard in the Labour Court. The presiding officer in the ELRC case has ruled that the matter must be heard in the ELRC.
I am appealing to the WCED to reinstate Neumann immediately. He has done nothing wrong.
On the contrary, during his short time as principal he has brought about tremendous change at the school.
He has improved the teaching and learning standards at the school. He has introduced a wide range of extra-mural activities at the school. He has done nothing to destroy the education ethos at the school.
Most schools in the Western Cape and South Africa support Heathfield High and its stance of recommending to parents to keep students at home in June 2020.
The Education MEC and head of Education in the Western Cape will receive teacher, student and public support if they reinstate Neumann immediately.
There would not be a loss of power to them. On the contrary, the Western Cape government and WCED would get the support of the wider community.
We fought a long struggle for democracy in South Africa. Many lives were lost, many people lost their jobs, people were banned, others fled the country. People negotiated and forgave.
Why is it that the Western Cape government and WCED cannot learn from the past?
Reinstate Neumann. Allow him to continue building Heathfield High into a formidable school.
I appeal to the WCED to meet Neumann, engage in serious talks and allow the situation at Heathfield High to return to normal.
History will judge the leaders in the Western Cape and WCED. Assist Heathfield High to deliver quality education to its students.
If I were the Education MEC, or the head of Education in the province, I would reinstate Neumann immediately and restore everybody’s dignity.
*Brian Isaacs
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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