“Joanna Ysaguirre was Well Within Her Rights” – B.N.T.U.

According to General Secretary Keisha Smith, the teacher was well within her right to seek the counsel of an attorney to guide her on the steps that needed to be taken in respect of restroom usage and her lunch break.

Keishia Smith

Keishia Smith, Secretary General, B.N.T.U.

“The issue of the restroom, yes. That was shared with me as well that the administration was saying that they needed to call because they can’t leave the kids unattended, especially during these COVID times. So again, that was another issue that I had a discussion with both principal and vice principal about, that you cannot be requiring a teacher to call the office to go to the restroom, it’s ridiculous.”

Isani Cayetano

“So that being said then, would we agree that perhaps the teacher was well within to seek outside counsel as to what the next step would be for her?”

Keisha Smith

“Definitely so, all teachers do.  In whatever the issue is that they experience at school.  They can ask for assistance, they can call their union, they have a right to address even with a correspondence. If you are writing me a letter telling me X,Y,Z, I have a right to respond and I have a right to ask that that be put on record. So she was well within her rights.”