Cape school, Hoërskool Strand, has been called out for having an almost entirely white teaching body. The backlash comes after the school posted a picture to its Facebook account of 16 newly hired white staff members.
It has since emerged that all but two of the school’s teachers are white.
The EFF says that this indicates how black people have been systematically excluded from the school’s teaching staff.
“Twenty-nine years into democracy…we still have whites-only schools that practice racism with impunity,” reads a statement issued by the party.
“It cannot be that we still have schools whose culture and ethos is rooted in white supremacist ideals that seek to engender racism.”
The Western Cape branch of the EFF accused the DA-led government of helping sustain what seems to reflect a celebration of whiteness.
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The party believes a clear message is being sent out by the school’s image – one that implies that only white people are worthy of studying and employment in teaching roles.
The party has called on Education MEC David Maynier, the provincial Department of Education and the school governing body (SGB) to investigate the school’s recruitment process.
“We also call for a thorough scrutiny of its policy and culture. Any form of racism is a crime against humanity and it should be characterised by and treated as such,” the party maintained.
The ANC also responded to the situation, calling it “highly disturbing and unacceptable”.
Khalid Sayed, the party’s Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) responsible for education, also brought into question the fact that the school’s Learner Representative Council only has five members of colour.
Sayed says that complacency by the WCED allows schools to be “white enclaves”, with the teaching staff and SGB having a direct impact on admissions and language policies within the school.
He warns of how this could in turn lead to a rejection of black learners to “keep the school white”.
“We demand transformation in all schools in the province. We will be requesting more information from the MEC regarding the number of schools that have zero blacks in its staff, SGB and learners,” says Sayed.
The WCED has noted the allegations and requested a meeting to address the situation. Spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, says the department is investigating the facts in the meantime.
The school’s principal has not yet commented on the situation.
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Picture: HS Strand