I AIN’T GINE FOOL YA, but I cahn seem tuh understand this Alexandra saga at all. Clearly there is more tuh it than is being said – as the old people would say, more tuh the mortar than the pestle, unless I dumb as France, and duh would have tuh be a lot more people like me.
Up tuh now I ain’t hear ’bout nuhbody doing or saying nutten dat would ’cause a respectable man who give summuch tuh the education system in this country tuh be “separated” from a school dat he wuk suh hard fuh years tuh build up a good reputation.
Of course, Mr Broomes might have said or done some things dat some people don’t or didn’t like, and who hasn’t? So ya gine string he up pon a cross, crucify he and disgrace he in front of a whole nation, including all o’ the children who pass through dah school under him, who have respect fuh him as well as the ones there now? But why?
I would like tuh know in standard English or plain down tuh earth Bajan what Mr Broomes did so wrong over the past couple o’ years dat would make teachers picket, sick-out, become indifferent and incite other teachers even from other schools who might not like dem principal style too much either, and a lot more people tuh come out and do the same thing dem doing.
I would like tuh know why Ms Redman, in particular, decide dat she want Mr Broomes “separated” from the school. Wha’ wait! Um is she school?
Aw’right, tell me something: now when the ministry “separate” Mr Broomes from the school, all o’ wunna teachers who have been refusing tuh teach the people children, one o’ dem, duh say, fuh a whole term, but still holding out wunna hands fuh the taxpayers’ money all like so, gine guh back and start teaching dem same children again like nutten ain’t happen?
Another thing is this: so the ministry decide tuh “separate” Mr Broomes from Alexandra School and replace he wid another principal who gine come along wid he own personality, he own style, likes and dislikes.
No-nonsense
Ya know wha’ uh mean: somebody like Mr Farley, the no-nonsense, outspoken principal from the Garrison Secondary; or Hallam King, the guy who used tuh be at Co’ridge & Parry and who I think eventually resigned; or a female who doan tolerate igrants from male nor female.
Duh might even send somebody like Minister David Estwick or even Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart, who doan waste much time in idle chatter; wunna gine strike and picket, sick-out, refuse tuh teach the children, then lambaste and put duh down in the Press evah single day?
I had a nephew who went tuh Alexandra School.
I raise him from a baby. I took him there myself from day one. I went tuh all o’ he form level and PTA meetings. All during dem times I never see Mr Broomes as anything other than strict, straight-forward tuh the point and down tuh earth. He outta school now and still got respect fuh Mr Broomes.
These teachers nowadays does get on, according tuh my mother, like dem mek outta tissue paper – ya cahn touch dem too hard, dem would tear or bruise. I ain’t know ’bout wunna, but this is my stance pon the whole thing: I think if dem teachers cahn wuk wid Mr Broomes, dem should pack up, leave and look fuh another school tuh teach at. Apart from dat, why should Mr Broomes leave, uh mean be “separated”?
Now if a man congratulates his students who excelled on speech day and told them dat they were successful despite the tutoring from senior teachers or a teacher who refuse tuh teach dem and um is the truth, wunna gine put a noose round he neck fuh it?
If it is true, it is true.
So who gine hing Ms Redman fuh not teaching fuha whole school term? But hear this now: look how duh want tuh hing the prefects and the fifth formers fuh teaching the very children dat dem leff stranded since school open and refuse tuh teach.
I ain’t know who dead and left Alexandra School fuh wunna. What I would like tuh tell wunna is if I in a job and I ain’t like the boss or he ain’t behaving tuh suit me, I would leave that job and look fuh another one.
But before I go, let me say big congratulations tuh the students who have taken on the role of the absent teachers by teaching the younger students and who have been helping tuh keep young eager minds occupied. That shows maturity, initiative, common sense and hope fuh the future.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.