Suspended Chapman High principal Randolph Jonas is back at school – at least for now.
The feisty principal’s future at the school in Gelvandale, Port Elizabeth, still remains undecided after his 30-day suspension was lifted on April 8.
Jonas’s suspension in March stemmed from his repeated refusal to heed Port Elizabeth district director of education Samuel Snayer’s instructions for him to re-admit two learners with behavioural problems at the beginning of this year.
But the school community backed Jonas’s defiant stand. In March, matriculants at the school boycotted classes to demand the reinstatement of their principal.
Headgirl Shakira Peer said: ‘We feel the principal is being treated unfairly for his stand against ill discipline. It is unfair that Sive Blom [one of the expelled learners] has come back. Other pupils who were also expelled would also have to be re-admitted to be fair to them. This is going to be totally disruptive to our normal schooling.
‘We want the education department to hear us as pupils because this problem of a lack of discipline among pupils affects us all.”
Headboy Deveron Rousseau said: ‘The department is sending the wrong message out to the delinquent pupils, telling them they can do as they please and they will be supported.”
The school governing body’s chairperson, Veronica Whittaker, said it was hoped the matter would be amicably resolved and Jonas retained as principal.
Among the behavioural problems cited by Jonas was Blom’s repeated refusal to do his homework while his absenteeism record stood at 69 days.
In a letter to Snayer explaining his actions against Blom, a Grade 9 learner, Jonas said after repeated talks with the pupil’s parents last year to address their son’s behavioural problems, the parents agreed that he would be placed in another school in the new year.
The parents, however, denied giving such an undertaking.
Another learner was turned away from Chapman High because of his aggressive behaviour towards teachers and learners and is now attending another school.
In April, a disciplinary committee found Jonas guilty on three charges relating to alleged insubordination. He was also charged with unjustifiably prejudicing the administration of the district office by not following procedures.
The matter will only be finalised once argument in mitigation has been heard in the disciplinary hearing.
Provincial education representative Phaphama Mfenyana said all principals need to refer to support services at their local district offices to deal with learners’ behavioural problems.
Mfenyana added that, in terms of the Constitution, the bottom-line is that no learner should be barred from school.