Earlier on we told you that the Chamber of Commerce had backed down from its proposal for a national business shutdown tomorrow. But the teachers won't back down, and if all roads lead to Belmopan tomorrow, the teachers will be on the Western Highway. As we have reported, the National Teacher's Union will participate in tomorrow's protest march on Independence Hill.
And so if you are a parent, tonight you're probably asking if your child will have school tomorrow. Well the truth is there is no one answer. We today spoke to general managers of both Catholic and Anglican Schools. Clemente Wade and Carol Babb told us that the decision is in the hands of the principals of individual schools.
Clemente Wade, General Manager of Catholic Schools
"Our principals are our key administrators in every school and in situations such as these, the principal will poll the teachers and if a majority of the teachers are leaving for a protest, then the principal will exercise his responsibility to the students by asking them to stay home the next day. So it will go on a school by school basis but if the last time is a judge of what will happen tomorrow, I have a good feeling that many of our schools will be closed."
Keith Swift,
So what is your advice to parents?
Clemente Wade,
"My advice to parents is listen to what the principals say to them today because the principal will always think about the best interest of the children and if he sees there is not enough teachers that will be around then the responsibility of the principal is to tell parents to keep their children at home so that they can be safe."
Carol Babb, General Manager of Anglican Schools
"I cannot say if there will be school tomorrow or not. It all depends on the information that the principals gain from their teachers. Teachers will be asked how many of them will participate in the demonstration tomorrow. Based on that information that hopefully I will get this evening, we will tell parents whether there will be classes or not.
The best advice to parents is to call the principals. I am not in a position to say to parents or the public that there will be no classes. I don't have the authority to say that. As far as I know, tomorrow is a normal school day but we cannot stop teachers from participating in a demonstration if they want to. That's their right."
And while teachers have the right to protest, according to the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Education has the right to dock their pay. Precedent has shown that teachers who don't report to school and participate in protests are penalized. That penalty is the day's pay and both Wade and Babb say teachers will protest at their own risk.
Keith Swift,
Will salary be docked from teachers who don't report to work tomorrow?
Clemente Wade,
"That will be dependent on the directive from the Ministry of Education. Up to this point I have gotten just a notice from the union but I've gotten nothing from the Ministry of Education."
Carol Babb,
"I have not gotten any word from them whether there is penalty if teachers don't go to school tomorrow."
Clemente Wade,
"The education law simply states how this should be handled. The Ministry will instruct us first of all to collect names of people who showed up for school and those that did not show without good cause, they will instruct us on what to do. The last time they did instruct us to dock their pay. I don't know, maybe this will be different. The Ministry has that call."
A Ministry of Education representative said the decision this time will be in the hands of school managers.
