Claver College Extension Students Stage Protest in Support of Fired Teachers

On Monday night, sixty-five of the eighty plus students at the Claver College Extension in Punta Gorda staged a peaceful demonstration at the campus. The adult continuing education institution has been at the centre of controversy, following the termination of ninety percent of its teaching staff last Tuesday. Replacement teachers have since been hired and classes were to resume on October first at five-thirty p.m.  But instead of entering the classrooms, majority of the students chanted outside; clamouring for the reinstatement of the old staff, some of whom have been with the institution for over a decade. Among those terminated is former staff rep, Vanna Noralez. Earlier today, News Five spoke with her via phone and she says that the students will continue its protest tonight.

On the Phone: Vanna Noralez, Former Staff Rep, Claver College Extension

“They chose to stand by their old teachers and they chanted up and down for about an hour and a half saying that they want their teachers to be reinstated. Our students are in this position; we feel a bit guilty that they have to be stepping up to fight our battle—so to speak—however; we are greatly appreciative of their support. They are standing in solidarity of their teachers and their teachers are also trying to resolve the situation peacefully so that we can get back into the classrooms.  Outside of the building, we had about sixty-five of our eighty-five students; inside of the building, the new staff was assembled. They had a staff meeting—that’s the word that we got—and also three first year students who chose to go into the classroom and there was at some point a lesson being taught or a meeting with those three students to keep them there.”