Chairman Prickly Pole Primary School Board

EDUCATION Minister Ronald Thwaites yesterday terminated the appointment of Vinette Robb-Oddman as chairman of Prickly Pole Primary School in Claremont, St Ann, effective immediately.

Thwaites, in a letter yesterday, advised Robb-Oddman that he was satisfied she was “part of a group which disrupted classes at the school and further… participated in a demonstration where students from the Prickly Pole School took part”. The incident, which was deemed politically motivated, took place on September 18. An 11-year-old female student, who allegedly participated in the protest, fell ill and died.

Thwaites, in his termination letter to Robb-Oddman yesterday, said her actions were contrary to the “high standards of superintendence required of a school board chairman”.

The education minister said that in terminating the chairman’s appointment he considered statements from the school’s principal, information from the regional director, details in the public domain, as well as consulting with the National Council on Education, which had formally nominated her as chairman.

Robb-Oddman on Tuesday took issue with a statement by the education minister that if a high official of the school was a part of the protest, such a person was not worthy of such an office. She described the minister’s statement as unfair, since he did not know all the facts surrounding the demonstration.

At a press conference held at the Almond Tree Hotel in Ocho Rios on Tuesday, she insisted then that the protest was not political, as it was carried out in the interest of the school.

“We had a meeting because we saw documents that Member of Parliament Lisa Hanna had given out showing her achievements,” Robb-Oddman said. She added that among the accomplishments listed was the paving of the Prickly Pole Primary School yard, which was never done.

According to Robb-Oddman, who is also the People’s National Party councillor for the Calderwood Division, the meeting was held after parents demanded answers from the board about money supposedly allocated by Hanna to fix the schoolyard.

She said the board made it known to parents that the school did not receive any money to do any work.

“The parents were getting tireless; the pressure was on us. We wanted answers,” she said. “After we had the meeting parents and community members decided that they wanted to go by Miss Hanna’s office to find out where the money was,” said Robb-Oddman. A demonstration was then planned for Friday, September 18.

Robb-Oddman said parents suggested that students join the demonstration, but the school principal insisted that would not be allowed. However, approximately 19 children joined the protesters in Claremont last Friday. The children, the former board chair said, were taken to the demonstration by their parents.

She also pointed out that Akella Lewis, the student who died, was not a part of the protest as has been reported.

According to Robb-Oddman, the child fainted on the school premises and was taken from there to a doctor in Alexandria where she died. She said Akella was taken to the doctor before the protestors left the community.

“While we were in Claremont we learned that Akella had died. We are saddened. The school is saddened,” said Robb-Oddman.

She has, meanwhile, accused Hanna of using the child’s death as a distraction to move attention from the issue of the money which was allocated to the school, but which the school knows nothing about. “Where is this money?” she asked.