MONTEGO BAY, St James — On the agenda when the board of St James High School meets next is a complaint from an educator that she was fired without due process. Board Chairman Christopher McCurdy told the Jamaica Observer the matter will be discussed when they gather “some time this week”.

Meanwhile attorney Jody White, representing Tiana Taylor — a temporary teacher at the school before she was dismissed — has called for Taylor’s reinstatement. According to White, there have been procedural inaccuracies and breaches, and the board needs to provide an explanation “as required under the Education Regulation 1980 or reinstate Ms Taylor immediately”.

The lawyer added in his letter to the board, “The termination letter issued, under these circumstances, undermines the principles of natural justice and violates the aforementioned education regulations that are in place to safeguard the teachers employed in the education system from abuse.”

White also contended that Taylor’s improper dismissal has deprived her of “her right to appeal to the Appeals Tribunal, a right guaranteed under Regulation 61”. “This critical right, aimed at ensuring fairness and justice, has been unjustly circumvented,” added the lawyer.In a letter dated June 24 and bearing the signature of Principal Joseph Williams, Taylor was informed that her time at the school would come to an end on August 31 because her performance was deemed unsatisfactory. Board Chairman McCurdy was also listed as a signatory to the letter but his signature was not affixed.

Taylor, who felt that due process was not observed in her dismissal, ignored the letter and reported for work on September 2, the first day of the new school year. She did the same on September 3 but said on September 4 she was told at the gate that she was not allowed to enter the compound.

“I had no previous communication with them regarding performance or anything; it was just at the end of June that I got this letter. And when I asked for a copy of the evaluation that the letter speaks about, I was told by my supervisor on that same day to fill out one and grade myself. I refused. I told her, ‘No, that is not how it goes,’ ” Taylor related to the Observer last week.

Also last week, Principal Williams told the Observer that Taylor had not been wrongfully dismissed. He said she was temporarily employed and under an evaluation process, which turned out to be unsatisfactory.Williams contends that, for temporary teachers, the process does not have to go through the board. He said it is the school administration which does the evaluation and determines if the individual continues.

Regarding the absence of the board chairman’s signature from the termination letter, Williams said it would be best if that question was put to McCurdy.

In response, the chairman said while the school administration, led by the principal, has responsibility for the school’s day-to-day operations, “the board always provides oversight and signs off on these documents”.

McCurdy said Taylor was one of four teachers for whom letters of dismissal had been prepared and his signature requested.This latest incident is the most recent in a long-running tussle between the board and the school principal.