As an expression of our disgust caused by the Alexandra dispute Barbados Underground will not update new blogs until strike action ends.
Education is regarded as a fundamental human right and the absence of 30 teachers from the classrooms of the Alexandra School for close to two weeks is a failure on the part of leadership of Barbados. The frightening reality that the ‘fracture’ has occurred in the education sector should place an accent on the gravamen of the challenge which confronts us.
Think on these things Barbados.
316 responses to ““If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything””
All Mary is doing is trying to put an end to the GOLIATHS who have embedded the system and have manjacked and hijacked it and it is easier to take on one than all of them at one time.
@AC
it seems that Mary is going to hand u a plate of disappointment and a heart attack when the teachers are ordered back to work.
@asharte
You’ve artfully dodged the substantive parts of my comments but I’ll address yours.
“Even the weakest argument can be won if facts are skilfully wielded.”
Here’s bstu’s report card
Weak argument – yes (based on the ultimatum requested)
Facts – incomplete
Skill – nope
Combination of facts and skill – nope
I rest my case. Just please help to repair the damage when all is said and done.
I read in the press that the BSTU is 65 years old.
I think that makes it older than the incumbent party itself!!
While age is no guarantee of wisdom this is no fly by night organisation formed to take advantage of a situation.
There has been no suggestion in the press that the position taken by the BSTU is not supported by its members.
It would be a mistake for the Government to be seen to be trying to isolate the teachers at Alexandria.
I am minded of the motto “Unity is Strength”.
Sometimes it is unwise to wake a sleeping giant.
I have been pulling out my hair, soon to be become bald, waiting for Freundel to settle this thing. This thing has become a national issue, but members of the DEM party seem to think it is only about squashing a bug call Mary Redman. It is Friday the end of the working week; where is the solution to this issue.
@John
You are correct, the BSTU has a history of observing grievance procedures and has done well as far as managing the IR environment under its responsibility.
One of the key architects of that success has been Frost and Perry.
It is interesting to note both are still involved in the management of the union.
I hold no brief for Ronald Jones, but I think it is more than disingenuous for Cynthia Forde to come out and blame him for the problems at Alexandra School. The seeds of this conflict were planted by the Arthur Administration through its politics of inclusion. From all reports, Broomes was the worst candidate for the job of principal but he was a new found Bee so his warts and other blemishes were overlooked. It is the BLP’s interference in the Public Service that created this sorry mess for an incompetent Jones to clean up. He is a talker, not a doer who should really step aside and allow good sense and reason to take over.
Caswell indicated that Keith Simmons is the Deputy Chair of the Public Service Commission, he is also Chair of the AX governign body.
Is there a conflict here?
When will he speak?
it is really interesting to read your comments Mr. Franklyn.
no wonder this problem get so big, to much idiots at the table or got access to the people at the table.
I was watching Owen’s silence on the impasse and found it passing strange given the location of the school smack bang in the middle of his constituency. I figured some form of politics was involved in the madness.
He did find time to say he would not be getting involved in the nomination process in Rawle Eastmond’s constituency … but other than that … silence.
To John:
Given Freundel’s assurance that this matter would be dealt with quickly and soberly by today, I do not see why one would want to hear Owen Arthur who clearly has no say in any of this. Owen could only do what we here on this blog are doing call for sense to prevail and this matter be sorted out soon, maybe they need Sandi. But then again you obviously would have your reasons for writing what you did.
A politician is a politician … they cannot keep quiet.
Fruendel is an exception!!
To John:
I can agree with you on that one.
Quoting John “January 20, 2012 at 10:53 AM I was watching Owen’s silence on the impasse and found it passing strange given the location of the school smack bang in the middle of his constituency”
Both Owen and Jeff are Colridge and Parry old boys, although truthfully since Owen is maybe 6 or 7 years older that Jeff they likely spent little time at school together.
Alot of talk. What can we as the observing public do to shut up the union, get the teacher back on the job and let the nations children have an education?
We all have more power than we think.
@Blogger
If Caswell as you stated is adbvising BSTU no wonder Minister Jones is so worried.
Watching Carefully and Listening. | January 19, 2012 at 9:03 AM |
I agree 100 percent. In addition to establishing the fact that BROOMES IS A LIAR and is blatantly disrespectful to the Chief Education Officer by suggesting that the CEO is a liar and also implying that the staff at the MoE are incompetent, Broomes has shown why people do not want to work with him – he is a bully (“They better don’t get me vex” is a threat from Broomes to the CEO who is his immediate supervisor).
Now what kind of madman (or idiot) is he? What could he be holding over the heads of so many people in charge of him that he cannot be disciplined for a blatant and obvious breach of Public Service rules. This is the same jackass that wants to say he has a teacher who refused to teach a class but has no proof whatsoever that this is indeed the case nor any proof that he did anything about her alleged negligence.
Interestingly, CBC sought to get views of people on the impasse. One lady who needs some teeth said “I do not know him, but he is a nice man”. You can see why public opinion is not what should determine your actions.
How many teachers you know anywhere in this island, including Karen Best, want to work with him – NOT A FELLA EVEN WANTS TO GO NEAR THAT DRUNKEN IDIOT. This same Karen Best is a part of the BUT that needed to rein in Broomes years ago for indiscipline and slimy behaviour. They have no moral authority to disagree with the BSTU. They are just too ashamed that he is one of them.
Keep sweeping for justice, BSTU. That s.o.b needs to go.
@David
Caswell has not anwered my question yet, how can he say she aint got a clue about ir and hanging around she, he aint as principled as you think, he wants members.
@Blogger
What is wrong with him wanting mrmbers?
Do you think it is any different with BWU and NUPW?
@all
Quite day in the trenches today.Many people licking their wounded pride.
By Monday I believe the PM will break (W) his silence.
Blogger2012 | January 20, 2012 at 6:05 PM |
@David
Caswell has not anwered my question yet, how can he say she aint got a clue about ir and hanging around she, he aint as principled as you think, he wants members.
I am sure Caswell can handle idiots like you easily but for the record Caswell has not made overtures in anyway to court or steal BSTU members. He has lent his support to the BSTU in this matter because he wants what is fair and just – for the teachers and the students. You seem to need some teaching yourself. Unfortunately, if you have no brain it won’t help you..
The focus on Alexandra School but what about the rift between teachers and principal at St George Sec another battle in the making. Keep watch.
@Blogger
Can you update us how the NUPW Council intends to deal with a GS on sick leave usurping GS ag?
@ole onion bag
I think the PM as taken the golden rule for what it says” Silence is golden”
I think by Now the PM has got the message LOUD and clear that teachers not going back to work with Broomes so any called for the teachers to go back to work would only be honoured only if Broomes is excluded and in that case it means Broomes would have to prove for sure that he has “THE best interest” of the children by separating himself maybe temporarily until a full agreement can be reached .
The focus is also on Coleridge Parry, Harrison College and Ellerslie. Is there a school where principal and staff get along?
How many schools have their full assembly in CBC tv? TV is a whore to Broomes’ publicity stunts. Those who feel Broomes cares anything about God ought to know that Broomes routinely stopped morning prayers to bring Lil Rick, Peter Ram and the like to perform their lewd music. He once forced off a teacher, who is also a preacher, from conducting morning worship so he could “enteatin the students” by having wukkin up going on on stage. No wonder he and Alf are such good friends. Ask anyone who went to school there or worked there.
Bajans, do not let his theatrics fool you. Broomes is a wolf in wolf’s clothing soaked in alcohol.
So the students have no say in the matter? Wanna wait and see, just wait.
The national fall out begins. Buckle your seat belts folks.
For many years, whenever the students of Alexandra saw Broomes they started singing Contone’s “I like drinkin’ rum”. Perhaps the demons he wants to cast out are those that possessed him to leave school and go to rum shops like John Moore’s bar in Weston or the rum shop in the Bow Road and misbehave in front of his students.
In the long run conflicts such as these stress a persons ability to function at there very best to the point of no return. Broomes is a battered man. Broomes tenacity and ability to continue down this treless road of confusion and misconception.truths and half truths would begin to wear him down. Broomes is not a young man and having day after day to be baggered would wear him down physically and mentally i think it would come to a point where Broomes would have to put his well being overall else and most of all the welfare of the children and the education they so rightly deserves. All in all that is where Broomes Win! and the children as well! There are times in life when in order to WIN you have to lose!
just wondering | January 20, 2012 at 7:09 PM |
The focus is also on Coleridge Parry, Harrison College and Ellerslie. Is there a school where principal and staff get along?
Too many of these principals are put there because of political connections, pretty talk, sleeping with the right people and having a history of being bad teachers – that is the problem. The cannot supervise staff who are competent and can think for themselves. So they seek to demoralise and terrorise those they cannot sleep with or bully or those who will not do their dirty work or kiss their sleazy backsides. No one cares and the BUT will not defend teachers from their abusive principals, after all, their president is one of them. A lot of these same parents are abysmal failures as educators, managers, leaders, parents, and husbands (I do not think the women principals are married) and they take out their defects and frustrations on the teachers who have to work under them. That s why there is such malaise in the teaching service and such underachievement by our students.
Teachers are supposed to teach students to stand up for their rights and not tolerate bullying. They are to teach them to think critically and to speak their minds. How can teachers at Alexandra or anywhere else impart these vital skills to children if they do not set examples by being honest, bold and steadfast in their convictions? How can they show students how to become productive citizens if they have to put up with abuse so they can continue to be exploited? Telling Alexandra teachers to return to a life of torture and victimisation by Jeff Broomes is like telling slaves to go back on the plantation – the innocent public needs sugar. Let Massa do as he likes, because the public and politicians like him and the innocent darling children think he is their uncle. Most molesters are uncles or fathers/step fathers anyway.
I think it is time to stop beating up on Broomes , Broomes have been cast into the sea of darkness where no one wants to be but to appeal to the the Broomes the ONE who is so highly LOVED and repected by his suppoters . The broomes which is said to “HAVE THE BEST INTEREST of the children of AX. The Broomes Who can manage and perform His adminitrative DUTIES flawlessly that is The BROOMES we should be appealing . Hopefully that Broomes would emerge leaving the Other BROOMES behind in a distant past.
@a teacher and AX PARENT who knows, 7:20
Wow! i asked a simple question. I find it hard to believe that you are a teacher. You speak so negatively of members of your profession. you obviously have no respect for principals or teachers and clearly believes that ALL Principals are like Mr. Broomes, (whom I do not know). Why are you so angry and so bitter? How do you function in a classroom when so obviously despise what you do?
@ just wondering | January 20, 2012 at 7:39 PM
I have utmost respect for teachers who teach properly and for principals who run their schools on principles of fairness, decency and accountability. I have seen precious little of that in education in this island. On the contrary, there is not ONE principal as sick as Jeff Broomes, but many would like him to get away with his nonsense so they can try it too. Teachers must be careful. When you let one lion loose and he devours the lambs, another lion will be emboldened to decimate the sheep. For your information, teachers that tell it like they see it are the teachers who are most effective – they teach students to think and to evaluate things (and people) for themselves. Those are essential skills for life. If you think of your most impactful teachers, they were of that variety. They made you into a person, not a robot who kow-towed to dictators just because they were big and bad like Goliath. Many teachers are bitter (retired and active) because of the wicked things principals have done to them and for which they got no redress; yet they suffered and slaved so that your children could be educated.
@A teacher AND AX parent who knows
Maybe you should hold a press conference.
By the way, saying that you despise bad treatment and corrupt, incompetent principals does not equate in anyway to hating teaching. Your comprehension skills are very dull.
How can we ever agree on any thing when we are constantly fighting among oursleves the noise level is so high no one hears anything expect the walls.
For the betterment of the Children i am appealing to Broomes to Do what is in the children’s best interset setting all other things aside and resign as PRincipal Of AX.
Think about it Broomes! Thirty women against one man ain’t easy.
If this person is indeed a teacher may God help our children.
I watched CBC TV news tonight and saw the report that the PM had met with BSTU at Ilaro Court this afternoon. There was a clip in that story which seemed to indicate that Jeff Broomes was also at the meeting but nothing was said as to whether or not he and his Union supporters had attended the meeting. In the wrapup to the News where the highlights of the news are screened again, there was no mention of the PM’s meeting. Instead the wrapup highlighted a story of the Prayer Warriors meeting with staff and pupils at Alexandra today and praying for the demons at Alexandra to be exorcised. By the way, Jeff Broomes seem to have made a prayerful and defiant speech at the same occasion at Alexandra today.
Could A teacher and AX parent who knows or AC or anyone else in the know explain to us what is happening here.
Was Jeff Broomes at the PM’s meeting?
If so did Mary Redman capitulate to the PM?
If not, Di the PM capitulate to Mary Redman’s insistence that she would not meet with Jeff Broomes until after he was separated?
Was jeff Broomes’ quote in the CBC News tonight where he told the children that he would be with them on monday, a hint that something was happening?
Very Interesting times! Very interesting happenings!
Anyone cares to elucidate and explain?
Observing | January 20, 2012 at 7:13 PM |
The national fall out begins. Buckle your seat belts folks.
you got that TV channel to? what a load of crap.
http://news.barbadostoday.bb/barticlenew.php?ptitle=School board asked ministry to intervene&article=13661
Amessage has been sent ! The PM knows and agrees that both sides have legitimate arguments. The coming together on the separation could be agreeed upon amicably only on atemporary basis by both sides in that Broomes is not dismissed but his involvement in the administration and managerial duties of the school would be taken over by his deputy to avoid any interaction with him and the staff He remains Principal but with limited capacity until a final agrrement is reached.
There is always a smell of reasoning around a load of crap. THis out of control and overblown debacle can be navigated trough treacherous waters by weekend. This Would be a Good Birthday Present forThe right Hon. Errol Barrow a Champion for an educated People.
@ all
More than likely this will be the outcome of the Illaro Court meeting.
Teachers go back to school for now… pending an investigation and a promise from the PM to act on findings……..teach the students
Jeff Broomes headmastership temporarily suspended..pending the investigation.He can attend school but to have no contact with the teachers.
I think its a role of bottom-bailey but I got a strong feeling this is what was asked.Anybody wants to venture another guess?
@ac
I see similarities in your submission…..(Daniel)
Like minds think alike…..fools always differ
AC; Thanks for your posts above.
If what you say is accurate, It puts a temporary plaster over the wounds and the BSTU would have shown a lot of faith in the PM acting expeditiously at last at something.
Has the Jeff Broome side met with the PM also, separately or together with BSTU?
Has Jeff Broome agreed to the temporary separation in the interests of the children? If so, he would have shown that despite all the bad talk on this blog he is a lot less intransigent than the BSTU in that apparently, in the interest of the children, he is willing to lose face while the BSTU would have got what they wanted by being adamant in their stance for his separation as a precondition to their talking with him and his unions and totally ignoring the children’s interest up to now.
Does this prescription take into account how the striking BSTU teachers (the 30) will interact with the other 22 broomes-supporting teachers in this tentative scenario? Is there likely to be harmonious relations between them in the near future?
What about Mrs. Greaves, allegedly the lady at the centre of this dispute? Is the PM going to wink at her alleged insubordination during this investigatory period and thereby give the impression that he condones her imputed behaviour? Would leaving her out of this temporary fix be seen as even handed by the vast majority of bajans who think that the BSTU is largely at fault in this matter? How would the eager 11 factor this into the equation re. peoples feelings in a coming election?
Could we take it that the PM is forcing his view of the issue that was telegraphed in the Errol Barrow day speech? Is he also adamant like Sandiford before him?
How many people on this blog think that the features of a likely agreement as given by AC, carries with it the seeds of much future discontent and malaise somewhat in line with the notes from a native son discussion elsewhere on this blog?
@ ole onion bags
I think we were related in a past life . hard to believe that our thoughts were being penned at almost the same time and with similarities! and somehow our thinking has move into another direction that is of solution.
AC; some of the questions that I posed above were answered in tonight’s Barbados Today News. Essentially the news item said:-
FS and a 13 member delegation of BSTU met at Ilaro Court this evening for more than 2 hours. Ronald Jones and the other members of the special Ministerial sub-committee were not invited
It is getting curiouser and curiouser.
The story begs the questions;
Why was Ronald Jones and the other members of the special ministerial committee not invited?
Why did CBC TV show a clip that would have been interpreted by most to imply that Broomes was there (but without comment)?
Why did CBC TV not include that meeting as one of its headline stories in its wrapup?
Why did you finally concede in one of your posts above that “both sides have legitimate arguments”
Why did you also imply that FS will have this matter solved in time to give a big speech by Tomorrow?
Is an election coming very soon?
The BSTU is not as callous as some would want others to believe. The know and understand the meaning of education is not simply reading writing and arithmetic but it must and also include a stable and healthy environment that is beneficial to all those who enter it. The BSTU knows that in part that removing Broomes expediently is not going to happen but they are also smart enough to know that they are other ways to negotiate an issue and to reach99% of what was required giving the other 1% to the other side who would have also got some of what they wanted. The PM is smart and unlike Jones pitbull approach he can be a smooth negotiator and navigator making the unthinkable appear thinkable.
Check it out Most of what you asked is what would be perceived as a news black intentionally so design by the PM as to stop most of the bleeding and damage and inflammatory comments in the public arena. This being said would take the control of the dispensation of news from the media and the only voice would be heard would be that of the PM in is upcoming news conference or speech on this matterAs of now it seems to be working since from my pereception a “Wait and see ” attitude has now taken root. The PM knows this and he cannot perlong the gony and pain which has beseiged the country anymore he knows he needs to act swiftly . One day more is too much.