Archive of posts from Saba-News.com Archive Saba News
Parents of children at the Saba Comprehensive School and others listed many questions about the latest developments at that school – especially regarding the not extending of the contracts with four teachers and with the director – and offered these to the school board. After having refused to participate in a meeting, the board at last was willing to cooperate.
First there was an agreement for a meeting of the Saba Comprehensive School board and parents and worried Sabans on 8th of July. Then this meeting was postponed on request of the board to Friday July the 11th at 17:00.
However more than 20 people, parents, teachers and other people who were concerned about the things that had happened, waited in vain for the members of the board.
Many reactions and conclusions were made by the people waiting there in front of the school in St John’s, but more news in detail will be published later.
It was truly a day that will live in infamy.The SEF board sent the police in lieu of attending a scheduled meeting with the parents to make sure that they, the parents, weren’t vandalizing the school buses or better yet posting a naked group selfie on the web. Oh, have I said too much?
This is a true sign as to the kinds of people who are on the SEF School Board. They should be fired immediately!
Well…..we see the BOARD! is up to their old tricks. Agree but only agree on their terms! Teachers does this incident remind you of our meeting request back in November 2013 when we asked for a ‘group meeting’ and then we were told two times that they would only meet with us one-on-one and then the last bit was that the meetings were mandatory and that OCW would be present????? This was just over a series of questions that we had for them and one of those questions had to do with a ‘Civil Servant Pay Raise’ (We even gave them the questions to ponder before the meeting).
AGAIN these ‘Ladies’ (and I use this term loosely) only want their way or the Highway and have shown that they have no room for compromise or any skills for negotiation. Saba….the only thing that this gang of three bring to the table is intimidation…… don’t be afraid to speak up….we know there will be ‘New Teachers’ and no one is irreplaceable….but dammit if it aint broke don’t try to break it more.
BTW: OCW …. you should be over on Statia and back home on Bonaire fixing the real problems that you have. Saba was excelling just as it’s logo demonstrates.
Wow……just, Wow!
Another great example of arrogance, power and disrespect. Christalle you deserve all the credits since you operate with passion and interest for the school. The board is just there for their own power and to humiliate those who are considered below them. Time to send them home and to get qualified serious and knowledgeable members who have the interest of the school at heart and not their own selfish behavior
It seems that although a board was established to make the decisions about Saba Comprehensive School there does not seem to be anyone who the board answers to. Who was in charge of implementing this board? Who advises the board in these circumstances? No one seems to have an answer to this. It is appalling to me that 3 women who have never taught a day in their life and hardly step foot into the school are making the biggest decisions concerning education on Saba. Who allows this to happen? Is it OCW, the Commissioner of Education, the so called “task force” that no longer exists, the Island council, the inspectorate? Whoever decided that that the board could have so much power has set the school up for failure.
What is the point of having a management team when the board can simply override any decision that they make? Isn’t it the management team that sees how teachers are functioning day in and day out, and not the board? The board has been unable to give any answers as to why some teacher’s contracts have not been renewed. Why? The answer is simple, because there are no legitimate reasons. These decisions are based on petty arguments that inflate their egos. The root of their decisions stem from jealousy and greed. It saddens me that we live on an island that functions like this. I can only sit and wait for the day when decisions are based on fairness and equality.
I cannot speak for all these teachers, but I know for a fact that some were fully qualified, and when the management team came to evaluate their lessons they did not get a single poor review. They worked after school hours and weekends to assist students with extra homework and tutoring. They graded fairly and challenged the students in order to raise the level of education. I am genuinely concerned about this grave situation at Saba Comprehensive School and I question the capabilities of the school board when it comes to making these choices which will in turn, affect the future of our school and Saba.
Most striking about his whole ordeal is that the board’s resounding incompetence has echoed all the way to the Second Chamber in Dutch Parliament.
Stop and think about that for a second.
Think about what you would have to do as a private citizen or an unpaid board member to otherwise reach their attention. That is the depth of their depravity, and a measure of the lengths they were willing to go to satisfy their personal vendettas. They are so disfunctional, so untouchable, as to require a paid mediator from the Netherlands to communicate with the community and SCS staff.
Yet, these unqualified clowns continue sit on the board with zero accountability, and this only reinforces negative stereotypes about the Caribbean with regards to nepotism and corruption. These charges against them are so blatantly obvious to be a sick comedy, and there are many cases that could be made for legal action. This ordeal has spread far beyond the school, and is tainting the reputation of the BES islands.
The board should do the honourable thing, salvage whatever shreds of dignity they have left, and resign. There is no other solution.
Ouch!!!! There isn’t much you can say after reading this last comment.
Perhaps everyone should go and get the book ‘Don’t Stop the Carnival’ by Herman Wouk and see if these characters fit anywhere in that story. By golly the reputation is one of favoritism, nepotism, and rewards for a few. Look to the fact that the sister of one Board Member is on the school management team. Hello…. this Board Member should have recused herself from making any decisions about personnel…. matter of fact she should not have been president and really has a direct conflict of interest that should have disqualified her from even being on the board. There is still that rumor that this person will be the next Director.
I am glad to see so much participation in this forum. I am also glad to see that even though you have to put up your comments incognito for fear of the dreaded ‘Saban Retribution,’ Sabans are speaking out. These are the same retributions and personal vendettas that the Board will eventually pour on to the batch of (New Teachers) if they dare ask questions or challenge the system sometime during the next school year. Perhaps the board will not like the way someone dresses or they way they walk….this will be repeated if things stay the same.
This type of behavior has gone on in the past and I will bet you will be repeated if a better solution is not found for your educational system. I suggest that all of you read the Statutes and find out just how little power the public has over this ‘foundation’ that is fully funded by your own tax dollars. Humm….public money….PRIVATE FOUNDATION….. this is where the problem starts POWER in the hands of THREE with no background in education and no one to answer to except OCW who Rubber Stamps their actions.
The board and Commissioner Chris Johnson should all resign or be fired. How much of Sabans money being wasted while they all go out for fancy meals and drinks at Queens Gardens instead of doing their damn job!
Who is on the Board anyway? To not even show up for a scheduled meeting is deplorable.
Raquel Granger, Tabitha Hassell, Maureen Hassell
(Comment shortened by Editor)
Are these the 3 board members I read about? So are these the only ones I should be sending my teaching application to?
Raquel Granger, Tabitha Hassell, Maureen Hassell
Don’t worry too much about to whom you should address your application. You are not the only one who never received an answer!!!