Outspoken teacher fired by Excelsior
On January tenth, when the students of Excelsior High School go back to classes, there’ll be one less staff member on campus. Math and Science teacher Brian Plummer has been told that effective immediately, his services will no longer be required at the school. Last year Plummer was a vocal supporter of the controversial government report which strongly criticized Excelsior. His termination letter offers no explanation as to why he was fired but he says his determination not to be taken advantage of and his visits to local media houses have not left him in “good books” with the board of governors.
Brian Plummer, Former Teacher, Excelsior High School
“Let’s put it this way, I’m not surprised. I’m not. I mean it was obvious, it was almost obvious that would have occurred. How I do feel, I’m concerned about my fellow colleagues, my fellow teachers who will probably have the same thing done to them if a stop isn’t put to it.”
Brian Plummer, a Math and Science teacher, began teaching at Excelsior High School in 1993. In 1995, ’96 and ’97 he was honored as Teacher of the Year. But in late 1999, Excelsior High School, got some bad publicity after a government evaluation report alleged, among other things, cases of student-teacher affairs and nepotism. Plummer was on the front page of a local newspaper with the insider’s view of the problems at the high school, openly supporting the report. He put together a petition asking that the board of governors be dissolved. Plummer says support was wavering because other teachers were afraid of losing their jobs.
Brian Plummer
“More than half the staff said they would like to sign it but they scared of comprising their job. As you could see, it happened. Some of them said they had other reasons other than that too but that was the most common reason.”
Plummer says in early December, 1999, he was accused of starting a rumor that a fellow teacher had not been paid monies owed to her by the school. He was confronted by the principal and two teachers about the incident and was later suspended. Plummer says he said nothing of the sort and according to school guidelines, even if it were true, his evaluation reported should have been blemished but he should never have been suspended.
Brian Plummer
“For initiating a rumor, all they should do is blemish your record not a suspension and a week which I think was severe. It occurred about a week before Christmas, almost three hundred dollars was taken out of my pay which would have come in handy for the Christmas.”
Plummer says there’s been bad blood between himself and the board ever since he took the board of governors to court for back pay. The matter was settled out of court in October 1999. The teacher says his dismissal was “premeditated” and says the evidence is on his paycheck. Dated two days before he was suspended, the amount on the check already showed the deductions for his suspension.
Brian Plummer
“I noticed the date was the eighth of December and I was confronted about this alleged rumor on the tenth. Therefore the money was taken out before I was given a fair hearing and that tells me whether I was guilty or innocent, whatever that would have been and there was some malicious intent; it was premeditated.”
George Frazer, Administrative Secretary for the Belize National Teachers’ Union agrees with Plummer.
George Frazer, Administrative Secretary, B.N.T.U.
“From all indications it seem as though they are trying to get back to Mr. Plummer based on remarks he made regarding a report the Ministry had on an investigation of Excelsior. He was one of the teachers who was bold enough to stand up and say, “Yes.” He agrees basically with the report and most of the teachers but like many of our people, many of them pretend or prefer to stay behind.”
The Principal of Excelsior High School, Mario Rodriguez, says he doesn’t know why Plummer was fired.
Mario Rodriguez, Principal, Excelsior High School
“Well I cannot, that could only be second guessing the reasons for his termination but as far as I know, I saw the contents there of and it did not mention any reason as to why Mr. Plummer is being fired. Of course, considering the recent situation with Excelsior High School, there can be any kind of speculations as to the reasons but I won’t be in a position to do that.”
The former chairman of the Board of Governors for the high school, John Neal, said he could not discuss the issue in detail and would only say Plummer was dismissed because he did not follow school guidelines.
John Neal, Former Chairman, Board of Governors
“I know the board agreed that he be dismissed because of his not living up to the guidelines of the school and that’s the decision.”
Q: “But you don’t know exactly which guideline he abused?”
John Neal
“It’s in the guidelines there, I am not at liberty to say. I don’t want to discuss that because we are not at liberty to discuss that. Under no circumstances is the board out to get Mr. Plummer.”
The B.N.T.U. says they can prove Plummer was dismissed illegally.
George Frazer
“I have documents here to show the different things and it is showing that they are definitely out of line. So I said, okay, they are playing games; I no play game. So it’s court we… I told Mr. Plummer, we’ll take the thing to court, make us see who bigger and who badder.”
In the meantime, Brian Plummer says he is concerned about the students and teachers at Excelsior High.
Brian Plummer
“I believe because of this a lot of students will miss out; they will punish and will punish in the future and teachers will fear. They’ll say their head is next, especially those who signed the petition.”
Q: “Other teachers might be feeling intimidated at this point because of what has happened to Mr. Plummer. What is the union doing for those teachers?
George Frazer
“What these teachers hope to do for themselves, the union is made up of teachers and we got to understand that people have to stand up. We can’t use this excuse of, “fraid, fraid, fraid”. If other people were afraid, many of the freedoms and things we have we won’t have today. People have to learn to stand up, especially teachers. We are leaders in the community and when people talk about fraid, they better get out of the classroom if they don’t have guts to stand up for principles that they believe in.”
Principal Mario Rodriguez says teachers can express their opinion but need to be careful.
Mario Rodriguez
“Teachers are free to express their opinion and the only thing is that people need to be cautious because people who are within the system there at Excelsior can have their opinion but you don’t want to cause aspersions or you don’t want to say things that are without foundation.”
Janelle Chanona for News Five.
The board of governors has been disbanded by the Ministry of Education but the new board has yet to hold its first meeting. Chief Education Officer Dr. Cecil Reneau is temporary chairman while John Neal, Lawrence Vernon, and John Young, who served on the previous board, are trustees. The rest of the board is composed of Principal Mario Rodriguez, three community representatives, and a staff representative. John Neal could not say whether Brian Plummer’s case would be discussed at the board’s first meeting. Excelsior High School was established in 1971 as an alternative high school for primary school students who had done poorly in the Belize National Selection Examination, B.N.S.E.
