THE wait for reinstatement has become unbearable for a husband and wife who were dismissed from their jobs at the Lister Mair/Gilby High School for the Deaf in Papine, St Andrew.

“It has been very hard for us. It is hard for us when you know that you have children to send to school,” one of the teachers and mother of seven stated.

The teachers’ jobs were terminated in 2016 after working with the school for 18 years on the basis of absenteeism and lateness.

Three months after a petition for the reinstatement was made at a meeting of the Teachers’ Appeal Tribunal, the couple, who asked not to be named, has grown restless.

“The representative from the JTA (Jamaica Teachers’ Association)…said that according to some code in their regulation, it was found that the board had breached in our case. So, as a result of that he had requested that we be reinstated from the 14th of September, but up to know [nothing],” the man said.

During its sitting, the couple’s JTA representative argued that the school’s termination letter, dated August 31, 2016 breached section 57(6) and the school’s board of management breached section 57(5) of the Education Act.

Section 57(6) states that “the board shall within 14 days after it has received the report of the personnel committee, give written notice containing details of its decision to the minister and the teacher”. Section 57(5) notes that “the personnel committee shall report in writing to the board no later than 14 days after the date of enquiry that the allegations against the teacher have not been approved or that the charges against the teacher have been proved and may recommend” punishment.

But the JTA argued that the school board “did not give the minister written notice containing details of its decision,” neither did the Personnel Committee “make a formal report to the board subsequent to the hearing of the committee in July 2016.”

On these grounds, the couple told the Jamaica Observer that the JTA representative requested that the two be reinstated speedily.

“He (JTA representative) had mentioned that with the sensitivity of our situation — having seven children attending school — it should have been dealt with speedily, but I don’t know if some misinterpretation went along the way because in the Oxford Dictionary, speedily is something that speaks for itself and from the 14th of September until now we’re still here,” the male teacher, who taught furniture making, said.

“Honestly, if it wasn’t for fervent prayer and the words of God literally, from my perspective, maybe I’d be suffering from some psychological problem right now, but thanks be to God for the word of God because when you have demands that are ongoing and your source of living is stagnant, it’s sheer miracle,” he continued, explaining that they are anxiously awaiting the judgement.

Secretary General of the JTA Byron Farquharson told the Sunday Observer that the association is “extremely concerned about the time that it’s taking for the matter to be heard”.

The termination has also had a negative impact on the couple’s children.

“Our children have stopped from school frequently due to lack of funds. This has never been a hindrance for us before,” the mother, a visual arts teacher stated.

While pointing out that the schools have made preparation “to alleviate the embarrassment” and accommodate the students, she said that they are unable to purchase necessities.

“Our loans are outstanding and the interest rates are escalating. I had to use my shares to part pay one of my loans. The embarrassment of business places calling due to lack of payment is unbearable to the bones. We have never been delinquent in repayment of loans,” she told the Sunday Observer.

“We cannot afford to pay our insurance either,” she added, likening her family’s plight to that of paupers.

Her husband, in highlighting his family’s struggles, argued that it is circumstances like these that give rise to the level of crime in the country.

“It is difficult living in Jamaica when you have a job, so can you imagine when you’re used to having a job and don’t?” he questioned. “Is not everyone choose to turn criminal, enuh, but is not everyone really find the Spirit of God, so them nuh have no option but forced to do it. One thing for sure: A man nah go sit in a corner and see himself a starve to death, enuh; him gonna try find food some way somehow.

“Don’t misinterpret me, I am not in the least percentage promoting or encouraging criminality, but what I am saying is this, I wouldn’t wish for my worst enemy to lose them job, especially when you have demands of children. It’s a nightmare,” he continued.

He said his marriage could have also been broken in light of the situation, and highlighted prayer as the tool that has kept them together and his wife sane.

“Can you imagine both of you out of a job one time when is not something you used to?” he asked. “The thing is not like that where you commit a crime, because it would be in the hands of the police then, but is something that you can be lenient with [and] consider for the children’s sake,” he reasoned, obviously frustrated.

Efforts to get a comment from the school’s administration were unsuccessful.

According to section 55 of the Education Act, a public school teacher may have disciplinary action taken against him for improper conduct while in school neglect of duty, inefficiency, irregular attendance, persistent unpunctuality, lack of discipline and such other conduct as may amount to professional misconduct.

However, the matter has to be investigated by the personnel committee before action is taken by the board.