Dismissed BHS Teacher Mulls Legal Action Against Education Ministry by Staff Reporter
A Basseterre High School teacher has sought legal advice over the unusual circumstances surrounding the termination of her services. Natalie Johnson has written to the school’s administration and copied the correspondence to several Ministry of Education officials and her attorneys. She is seeking clarification about the terms of her service being changed from full time to temporary. Mrs. Johnson, who began a temporary assignment at the BHS in September, received a letter from the Government Human Resource Division dated October 9th indicating that approval had been granted for her to be employed as a trained teacher at the Basseterre High effective September 1st. The correspondence outlines her hours of work, her annual her annual salary, information about medical insurance and sick leave, social security deductions, and the Contributory Pension Plan. The letter reportedly followed her being advised orally of her appointment by a Ministry of Education official. Mrs Johnson however, was one of over 200 persons at the school who in September began reporting symptoms of illness that they associated with being at the school. The Observer understands further, that at a meeting with Ministry officials she spoke up about becoming sick, in particular expressing concern that she could be inadvertently contaminating her family. She explained that she was not aware of the ongoing issues at the BHS when she accepted the assignment to teach there, but said she been warned not to get involved in ‘what was going’ at the school. In mid October, Mrs. Johnson was one of several teachers who spoke to the press after they abandoned an Eastern campus staff room because of a foul order. She recounted arriving in the staff room before the cleaner to find what was believed to be rodent dropping all over the desks. Though she was feeling ill at the time, she indicated that she would continue teaching. “Yes I will, because at the end of the day, the children, the students are the ones who are suffering more than anybody else, and I can’t see myself allowing the children to suffer. But something has to be done, because it’s only so long I can go on for,” she said. She was also among teachers who by the end of October, had begun demonstrating daily outside the school gates calling for classes to be relocated until issues at the campus were resolved. Then on November 25th, Mrs. Johnson received another letter from the Human Resource Division, this one dated October 10th, one day after the first letter. It contained very different information. The second letter advises her that approval has been granted for her to serve on a ‘temporary basis’ as a trained teacher at Basseterre High effective September 1st to December 12th. It gives her hours of work, and information about social security deductions and sick leave, but quotes her salary on a monthly basis. There is no reference to a pension or medical insurance. In her subsequent letter to the school seeking clarification, Mrs. Johnston explains that she received her September salary via cheque, but said her October salary was paid via direct deposit. She said she became alarmed when she was not paid in November. She indicated that that, coupled with the conflicting correspondence caused her great concern, and she approached the Ministry for an explanation. According to Mrs. Johnson, she was advised that the salary issue would be rectified, but no one at the Ministry was able to assist with her query about the inconsistent correspondence. Mrs. Johnson, who taught English up to fourth form, did not return to school in the new term. The Observer understands that the school’s Administration was told several times that someone would be sent to replace her. A new teacher – reportedly sent from Nevis – was not assigned until the third week of classes in January. The St. Kitts Teachers Union has circulated a statement among its members, calling for support for her reinstatement. In the statement issued last week, the Union charges that she was ‘terminated unjustly.’ “The Ministry of Education recently terminated the services of a new teacher who suffered health issues at the Basseterre High School and spoke out to advocate for a safe school for herself, her colleagues and her students,” the statement reads. “Mrs. Johnson is a wife and a mother of three children who depend on her, and she has done nothing to deserve this punishment. The Ministry’s actions set a terrible precedent which will only cause unrest, further distrust and division in our education system. Mrs Johnson had ever right under the law and constitution to stand up for her right to a safe working environment.” The Observer had been unable to reach Mrs. Johnson for a comment, and attempts to contact Education officials for an explanation have so far been unsuccessful.
