May 7th, 2007
Editor AMANDALA
Editor Sir,
In the most humble and respectful manner, for and on behalf of the residents of the Santiago Juan Layout Area of San Ignacio, I hereby request that you accommodate this letter. We have found it necessary to resort to this medium to make public a situation which has been affecting our community through the administration of Bishop Martin R.C. School.
The issues arising from the way our school is being run are many. However, for economy of space and time we only wish to draw attention to two which are having serious social impacts to the families of this area, and which we believe this school was established to serve.
The school’s enrollment has doubled since it was opened six years ago. Most interestingly, less than half of the student body is made up of Belizean children. It is obvious that the school-zoning guidelines put in place by local managements are not being respected. Students at Bishop Martin come from villages (that have their own schools) and from as far away as Melchor, Guatemala.
The fact that the population of the school is extreme has led to the consequent exclusion of children from Santiago Juan Layout, who are now being denied a place for the upcoming school year. Associated with the rise in the school’s population is the fact that the principal refuses to register Belizean children in preference for those of foreigners.
Secondly, it appears as though this principal practices corporal punishment as a form of discipline on students. On several occasions children have been severely beaten, and parents have even been threatened with transfer of their children if they should attempt to take action against him.
It is disheartening for parents to know that our children are being entrusted to someone who is not willing to give them the treatment they are entitled to. It is more so painful to know that teachers stand aside and allow for these injustices to continue occurring. Numerous complaints of this individual’s unacceptable form of administration have been made to the Catholic management as well as to the Education Department office, but no action has been forthcoming.
We understand that the president-elect of the National Teachers Union is a member of that staff. It is expected that he has given consideration to address situations like these under one of the “r’s” through which he intends to lead those in the teaching profession.
We hereby appeal to the Ministry of Education, whose ultimate responsibility it is, to address this situation without delay. Residents of Santiago Juan Layout demand that this principal be removed. Other issues will be made public as the need arises.
N.B. Please withhold signature.