Claver College Nine are Back in their Classrooms

Tonight, nine teachers from Claver College Extension, who were summarily relieved of their duties at the evening division, are back in their respective classrooms after it was found that their dismissal was unlawful.  The re-instatement of the teachers in Punta Gorda also brings to an end a protest effected by students who were in solidarity with their sacked teachers.  According to staff representative Vanna Noralez, several meetings were held in the wake of their firings, including a sit down with the board treasurer who revealed that he was not privy to some of the decisions taken by the chair, Lisel Alamilla.  As of this evening, classes were scheduled to resume as per normal, barring police intervention.  Noralez provided details of their re-instatement by phone this afternoon.

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

“Over the past several days we had several meetings, both with the staff and with a few members of our board.  We began to reach out to our board, I think that began on Thursday of last week, reaching out to members of the board and trying to put together a board so that they can be more active.  As a result of that we met with several members and we [went] to the deciding table as a staff and we decided that, you know what, it’s unfair for our students to be out here.  While we appreciate the solidarity that they’re putting up with us, our best interest has always been our students.  So in an effort to do all of that, we said that Monday we would like to get this issue resolved by today so that we could get back into the classroom with our students and continue to serve them.  As a result of that, the treasurer of the board reached out and invited us to a meeting which was last Thursday and we accepted that meeting, we asked that he go ahead and invite the chairperson of the board which she declined to be a part of that meeting so we can go into negotiations and get to the bottom and solve this problem peacefully.  So because the chairperson declined that meeting the treasurer spoke on behalf of her and he let us know several things.  One: that he was unaware that some of these decisions were being made, so we came to the conclusion that the chairperson was acting on her own behalf or in her interest.  Also, if you notice the letter of termination, and I put termination in quotes here because it’s unofficial, it was signed by only the chairperson.  So we have come to the conclusion that none of the act, and upon advice from our ministry rep, we have come to the conclusion that none of the acts taken by the chairperson is legal and as a result we can go back into our classrooms.”