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www.cad4all.co.za Woensdag, 18 November 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | e-pos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za
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TygerBurger
RASSISME: DAADWERKLIKE PLANNE IN PLEK
Pyn raakgesien DESIRÉE RORKE @dezzierorke
D
ie Hoërskool Brackenfell het daadwerklike aksie geneem om enige vorm van rassisme of diskriminasie by dié skool uit te roei. Onder meer is planne vir opleiding in sensitiwiteit- en diversiteit vir onderwysers en leerders reeds onderweg, en is hare-reëls vir meisies reeds verander. Dit volg ná die herrie wat verlede week in Brackenfell losgebars het weens bewerings dat ’n private matriekgeselligheid leerders van kleur uitgesluit het. In ’n skrywe aan ouers deur dr. Guillaume Smit, voorsitter van die skool se beheerliggaam, en die skoolhoof, Jannie Muller, het die skool en personeel onderneem hom hulle te verbind
tot betrokkenheid by toekomstige gesprekke met beide leerders en ouers om ’n konstruktiewe pad vorentoe te verseker. “Ons hoor die stemme van ons skoolgemeenskap en as ’n skool onderneem ons om beter te luister, beter te wees en beter te doen. “Soos reeds verklaar, (deur die onderwysdepartement) kan die skool nie verantwoordelikheid aanvaar vir die private geselligheid wat sonder die skool se betrokkenheid gereël is nie. “Tog, erken ons, tot ons bittere spyt, dat hierdie geleentheid vir ons leerders, veral leerders van kleur, pyn veroorsaak het.” Die skool stel die doelwit om skoollewe so aan te pas om ’n omgewing te skep waar alle kinders beter toegerus sal word om suksesvol te funksioneer in ’n veelrassige sa-
melewing, volgens Smit. Hy sê skool het alreeds in Julie kwelpunte begin oplos en verskeie maatreëls in plek gestel om diversiteit te fasiliteer. “’n Diversiteitskomitee is aangestel, maar die funksionaliteit van die komitee is egter deur Covid-19 gekniehalter. Die eerste amptelike vergadering het nou plaasgevind,” skryf hy. Meisies se hare-reëls is aangepas nadat leerders en graadhoofde gekonsulteer is, en is op 4 November afgesluit. Verder sal sprekers die skool volgende jaar besoek om met leerders en personeel te praat oor die herkenning van rassediskriminasie. “Merendeels word praktiese maatreëls in plek gestel om ’n veilige omgewing te skep vir leerders waar hulle gehoor sal word.” V Vertel TygerBurger wat jy van hierdie berig dink by briewe@tygerburger.co.za.
No probe, no suspension DESIRÉE RORKE @dezzierorke
Op die langpad Comrades-atleet Gerhard Rademeyer (56) beoog om in Februarie die langste uithoudraf nóg in Suid-Afrika aan te pak. Lees berig op bladsy 3.
The provincial education department will not be conducting an investigation into the private matric party held at Brackenfell High school, but will be investigating other issues raised. “We are not investigating the ‘private party’ – as it was a ‘private party’ and not a school event. Had media reports been true that this was a ‘whites only’ matric function organised by the school, the department would most certainly have acted against the school immediately. “This would have been a violation of our Constitution,” says Bronagh Hammond, director of communication at the department. “It is therefore nonsensical to suggest that we ‘charge’ or ‘sus-
pend’ the principal or teachers – for an event that they had not organised. “Whether some teachers attended as guests or not, is not relevant. They were within their rights to attend a dinner at the invitation of a parent,” she says. In June this year, the department engaged all public schools over the absolute necessity for courageous and ongoing conversations in schools about issues of racism, prejudice and inclusivity. “The department recognised that our schools needed to redouble their efforts in addressing the inequalities and prejudices that still exist within various schools, as well as, in society in general. While many issues have been resolved through ongoing conversations, and the implementation of various diversity strategies and
policies, there is still much to be done,” says Hammond. During these engagements schools were asked to condemn racism and prejudice; review the school’s Code of Conduct to ensure that all potentially discriminatory aspects are removed; and to initiate open conversations with all stakeholders in the school community. This should include encouraging the school’s governing body to lead conversations with parents and learners. Hammond says learners are encouraged to report racism or discrimination, of any form, to the department if not being addressed appropriately by the school. “We have and will intervene where necessary and will continually address these matters until we eradicate it from all schools.”