Heathfield high parents protests in support of principal facing disciplinary charges

A principal from Cape Town is expected to face disciplinary action on Monday.

The principal, Wesley Neumann was charged with 10 transgressions by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).

The principal of Heathfield High School, will be in a pre-hearing this afternoon.

Among the 10 charges, one is an allegation of attempt to assault a learner.

Others charges are about him not allowing teachers and pupils return to school in August as per the directive of the provincial education department.

Heathfield High School governing body’s Brandon De Kock:

“These charges relate mainly to COVID-19 but there is also one that is utterly ridiculous. According to them, he threatened to assault a learner by pointing a finger at him.”

“We’ve sent them video footage and statements and staff corroborated Mr Neumann’s story where he did not assault a learner.”

De Kock said that Neumann told parents to not allow their children to resume until after the coronavirus peak.

“We have three support staff to clean the school. Two were off with comorbidities. According to WCED protocol, the school is supposed to be sanitised three times a day.”

“How can one person do that? They promised that they would look into it and support us with extra staff but nothing happened.”

However, the school governing body and parents have planned to protest this afternoon to show that they are not pleased with the way the principal is being treated.

“I think it’s personal attacks, political attacks and it smacks of victimisation. Mr Neumann was just trying to protect the staff, the community and the learners.”

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“We are not going to take this lying down. The WCED is in for a massive fight.”