A former houseparent at President’s College is angry about what she has termed “an unfair and politically motivated dismissal.”
Jacqueline Argyle stated that on the 27th of July, last, she was given a termination letter which stated that her dismissal would take effect from 1st August 2011. The reason given for the dismissal was “disobeying lawful instructions.”
Argyle has been supplementing her income for many years by selling confectionary and snacks in the school’s dormitories. However, this practice, she recently learnt, is frowned upon by the Board of Directors, hence the decision to fire her.
However, Argyle believes that the reason for her dismissal stemmed from the fact that she does not enjoy an amicable relationship with the supervisor of the house parents and she alleged that false evidence was given against her to the board by the said supervisor.
When contacted, Chair-man of the Board of Directors David De Groot stated that Argyle was given prior notice to desist from selling in the dorms and cooking there, since it poses a fire hazard to all the occupants of the dormitories.
He noted that her actions were also prohibited under the school’s guidelines.
Argyle, he added, continued to flout the rules, and as such she was summoned by the disciplinary board to defend herself.
She opted to offer no response to the accusations, on the advice of her legal counsel Patrice Henry. This, De Groot explained, was much to her own detriment, since the board could do nothing but take the next necessary step to dismiss her.
