Vere Tech teachers stage sit-in after colleague charged over brawl

 

Classes at the Vere Technical High School in Clarendon were suspended Wednesday after teachers staged a sit-in to protest against the decision of the police to lay charges against a female teacher who was earlier attacked on the compound by relatives of a student.

 

Principal of the school, Oneil Lewin, told Radio Jamaica News that the teacher was taken into custody and charged after she was injured by the child's mother.

 

"Yesterday afternoon at approximately 3 o'clock, there was an incident where a parent actually confronted one of our teachers in the staff room and that was a physical confrontation where the teacher received actually scrapes and bites and all those. So it was actually referred to the police and the police have charged both parties for court date on June 21," he disclosed.

 

He said the protesting teachers have vowed not resume classes until the matter is investigated by the Ministry of Education. 

 

Radio Jamaica News was informed that the teacher was injured after she objected to the child's mother and uncle entering the staff room to retrieve a bag.

 

"The confrontation started because the parent was trying to retrieve an item belonging to the student from the staff room. The parent was directed by another member of staff to wait at the staff room for the item, and the parent decided to physically go inside the staff room and collect it. And the teacher tried to prevent that and it resulted in that physical confrontation." 

 

Mr. Lewin said the teacher received medical attention on Tuesday night and is now off the job.