The children of the parent accused of assaulting a teacher at the Winfer Gardens Primary School have been transferred to another school.
General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald, when contacted for an update on the matter yesterday, told Stabroek News that the children were on Wednesday transferred to another school.
McDonald said the police confrontation between the two parties, which was aborted last Friday, was held on Monday.
She added that the police are now awaiting legal advice that will determine the way forward in the matter. Police are investigating allegations made by both the teacher and the parent, who have each accused the other of assault.
The Ministry of Education last week Wednesday launched an investigation after teacher Yolanda Jackson was allegedly attacked by a parent at the school, which is located on East Street, Georgetown. The attack occurred around 8.30 am, just after Jackson had reported for duty.
Jackson, this newspaper was told, teaches a Grade One class at the school, where she has been employed for several months.
She was approached by the parent shortly after she arrived on the school’s premises. The parent reportedly accused her of hitting her child in school.
Jackson denied having any knowledge of the incident which the parent was enquiring about but promised to look into it. However, the parent reportedly continued to seek an answer from Jackson.
“She approached me, she didn’t come to talk it out, she came to fight… I tried to walk away but she grabbed me from behind and she started the assault,” Jackson said.
Jackson, who sustained injuries about her body, was subsequently taken to a city hospital where she received several stitches to her wounds. She had called for a thorough investigation afterward.
After reports of the incident surfaced, several officials visited the school on Wednesday.
Carol Benn, Assistant Chief Education Officer with responsibility for all primary schools, and McDonald had told the media that there is zero tolerance for such behaviour.
Benn said that the Ministry received a call stating that a parent “ran into” a Grade One class and “beat up” on a teacher, injuring her. “We are very upset about this and we will not encourage that attitude. No parent should go into any school and beat up on any teacher,” she had said while noting, “we are going to act and act swiftly.”
Last Friday, a police confrontation between the parent and teacher was aborted after concerns were raised about the process by the GTU.
McDonald had previously told this newspaper that both parties were invited to the Alberttown Police Station last Friday for a confrontation.
She had said that officials from the GTU and the Ministry of Education, including the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson, showed up in support of the still traumatised Jackson.
McDonald had explained that they were reportedly denied access in the room with the teacher and parent.
As a result, McDonald said the GTU and the ministry protested against proceeding with the confrontation if someone could not be present with Jackson, given her state of mind.
McDonald said that the officer-in-charge then spoke to them and, after a delay, an agreement was reached for one individual to be present with Jackson.
However, for this to happen, McDonald added, they were told that someone had to be present with the parent also. At the time, no one was available to accompany the parent. As a result, the confrontation was rescheduled.
During Monday’s confrontation, McDonald said that Yolanda was supported by GTU while the parent was by Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Gerry Gouveia.
