Palotti High School’s Parent Teachers Association met this afternoon. That’s not normally news but it is tonight because of a controversy simmering at the school. It involves a fourth form student who was allegedly expelled – basically because of what would be colloquially called “man business.” We say allegedly because the school says she was only suspended. The student went to court and last week Justice Minette Betram Hafiz issued an injunction, ordering Pallotti High School to reinstate the student. That order from the court didn’t go well with the teachers and so they called the PTA meeting today. The student’s attorney Audrey Matura Sheppard says the order has nothing to do with the teachers.
Audrey Matura Sheppard, Attorney for Student
“The teachers were riled up to the extent that they believe that the order was against them because it said Pallotti High School is not the teachers and Pallotti High School is not the students. Pallotti High School is an entity onto its own self, it is an institution. So the order is not against them and I hope they are not manipulated and they feel so riled up that they think they should strike and go against the order of the court because we would not want to take the other step which is to charge people with contempt of court.
There was an allegation made against my client. The family tried to negotiate with the school for over a month; lobbied them, reasoned out with them, because they’re daughter was expelled. When all good means did not work, they did what any parent would want to do – seek recourse and that was a legal recourse. The matter was taken to the court, there was an interim injunction given which basically says to the school, I am ordering you to reinstate this young lady back into the classroom and you’re prevented, yourselves, meaning the management of the school, the principal, the Board of Governors who had made the decision to dismiss the child, you’re prevented from removing her at the classroom.
The order is not against the teachers. There has never been any complaints against the teachers and the order is definitely not against the students who go to the school. There has never been a complaint against any student there. They, the students and the teachers, were never the ones who made the decision to have the child removed from the school.”
Keith Swift,
Is the child back in class?
Audrey Matura Sheppard,
“Yes that is the court and we will not disobey it. If the school has a problem with it, they need to go back to court.”
Keith Swift,
Students get expelled everyday. Why go to this extreme measure of going to court?
Audrey Matura Sheppard,
“Well you see those who get expelled everyday and don’t do anything is because they don’t know better.”
We were unable to get official comment from the school on the PTA meeting but we do understand at the meeting, parents reaffirmed their support for the teachers and for the school’s Christian principles. The student meanwhile is back in school.
