It's a small multi-grade school in Flower's Bank, but there could be fireworks at Flower's Bank Anglican Primary School on Monday. And it's because the principal Clifford Barry White is going to school under a thick cloud of suspicion of serious wrongdoing. White was charged this afternoon at the Ladyville Police Station for the harm of an 11-year-old female student.
The charge stems from an encounter which occurred on March 28th when White allegedly punched the child in her midsection. It was a serious blow, delivered right below the waistline and a doctor classified it as trauma to the left side.
The victim of the blow is a foster child at the Belizean Christian Efforts Home and director Millie Tyler made the complaint to police and Anglican school management.
Today, Anglican school manager Carol Babb says they received the complaint from the start of the month but could not launch an investigation because school was out for the Easter break.
But still, even with the criminal charge, Babb says the school management will have to conduct its own investigation and will not be taking any action against white until that is completed. Babb says she is going to flowers bank herself on Monday to investigate.
But for Millie Tyler, who sends a number of children to the school, it's a few days too late, and she says as long as White is still there as the principal and teacher, her children will not be going to school. Tyler alleges that there has been along history of physical abuse at the school.
Flower's Bank is a multi-grade school with 60 students with one teacher who also acts as principal.
