The dispute over the suspension of Merl Grove High School (MGHS) Principal Dr Marjorie Fullerton by the school board appears headed for the Supreme Court finale.

Dr Fullerton, through her attorney, Dr Delroy Beckford, has applied for court orders for an interim injunction to get a stay of the disciplinary proceedings by the Merl Grove Personnel Committee, which have been underway since the principal was suspended on September 10, 2021.

Attorneys for both sides —Garth McBean, QC, represents the personnel committee and the board — agreed on Friday to stay their local proceedings, at the request of Supreme Court Judge Tara Carr, to allow the court to decide whether to grant the interim injunction, at a sitting set for December 7, 2021.

Fullerton’s latest move is preparatory to seeking leave to apply for a judicial review to challenge the board and personnel committee’s determination to conduct and continue the local proceedings, over fears that the decision to dismiss the principal is a fait accompli.

McBean indicated to the Jamaica Observer that his client would be opposing any application for leave for judicial review.

The board led by Chairman David Hall has been accused by past students of taking sides against Fullerton in a long-running dispute with lower school vice-principal, Loretta Ricketts, leading to the principal’s suspension.

On the eve of the opening of school for the new academic year, Fullerton, returning from her summer break, overturned plans implemented by Ricketts who was acting in her absence, saying she had already put plans for the reopening in place and had not been consulted on the new arrangements with which she would be stuck for a full year.

Hall’s board, at an emergency meeting then suspended Fullerton, saying her actions had “negatively impacted the school and caused unrest among the staff”.

The MGHS Past Students’ Associations Joint Committee of Jamaica, Canada, and the United States is vehemently opposed to the suspension of Fullerton and has been urging Hall to reinstate her on grounds that she has been one of the best things to happen to Merl Grove.