Allow me please to respond to the article by Tom Clarke, the head of Parktown Boys High School, which appeared in The Star, June 16 2009.
I will start off by quoting Clarke who says: "Among other things, they (the Gauteng Department of Education) told me I may not talk to the media. That gagging order has still not been rescinded."
Clarke, despite your gagging order you still write an article for the newspaper? Your total disregard for your employees in knowingly going against their instructions, speaks volumes.
Next up you state that you were aware of the incident before Pene Kimber.
Is it not a fact that Kimber picked her son up from school on Friday, February 6 2009, so that he may spend the weekend at home?
I hardly feel that Kimber would not have known about this on the Friday - the chances are pretty good that a mere four days after the incident, young Kimber may very well have had a problem sitting, given that his backside was black and blue.
However, you go on to mention that you only became aware of this incident on Monday, February 9?
Why, Clarke, did it take an entire week before this incident was reported to you? Could it be that after a week, hopefully, most of the bruising may have disappeared?
You then go on, Clarke, to say that a disciplinary hearing was held on February 13 2009. Could Clarke please enlighten the author as to who conducted this hearing? Was it the Governing Body of Parktown Boys High School?
Did you take a statement by Kimber and her son to be used at this hearing? Clearly not, because you then go on to state that the disciplinary hearing was "re-convened" on February 20 2009 because, as you stated, having spoken to Kimber you "immediately realised that this was more serious than I originally thought."
Clarke, had you followed due process, had you conducted the original disciplinary hearing in the correct manner, you would not have needed to wait for further evidence and then re-convene a disciplinary.
Clarke, you state that it has taken you 18 months to draw up a values-based blueprint - all I can say is thank the dear Lord that you are not working in the private sector.
In closing, let me say that I do not dispute that Parktown Boys has produced many, many good, fine and upstanding members of society. Neither do I dispute that the manners from the lads I have encountered while walking through the school have been anything but exemplary.
I also acknowledge that many good matric results have been forthcoming from Parktown Boys High School.
Much can be said for other fine good schools in Gauteng. I feel very sorry for the good teachers and fine young lads currently at Parktown Boys, who now, through this incident and the high media coverage, have been "tainted with the same brush".
However, my question has always been: Did Kimber bring the name of this school into disrepute or was that done by the actions of the matric pupils? I do believe it was the latter.
Many parents (of which I am one) support Kimber's stance in highlighting what is happening in our schools today.
She is fully entitled, as the mother of a minor, to press criminal charges despite any action (or lack thereof) taken by Parktown Boys High School.
Finally, Clarke, your article in The Star did nothing to convince me of your "side of the story". In fact it raised many a red flag.
Perhaps you should have taken heed of the Gauteng Education Department's gagging order and kept quiet.
D B Gibson
Edenvale
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