A student who was assaulted by a teacher at the Central Corentyne Secondary School (CCSS) is still waiting for a transfer, over a month after the incident.
La Toya Poole, 15, was assaulted on the morning of September 12 by a teacher, whom she has accused of hitting her head into a wall. “She says I am a passa passa girl and asked me if I want to fight. I said “no.”
Then, I ran to my class picked up my bag and hurried home,” she said a short while after, with her shirt collar blood soaked spattered blood visible on her neck and vest.
The teen’s aunt, Lorna Hope, made a report to the Whim Police Station, and the School Welfare Officer, while her niece was not allowed entry into the school.
Hope was advised that readmission would be based on a response from the relevant authorities in Georgetown.
She said that several telephone calls were made to the Department of Education in Region Six concerning the matter and promises were made to update her, but nothing was forthcoming until last Tuesday, when she was told to appear before the Teaching Service Commision with her niece. Hope said on her arrival, the receptionist referred her to the Acting Chief School’s Welfare Officer Carol Melville, who was not expecting her. Afterward, she was given a document by the senior welfare officer to take to the Department of Education, where she was told to return for a school placement on Monday, due to annual school sports being underway at the time.
The disturbed Hope opined that if she did not show an interest in the matter, her niece may not have been given a placement letter. “No one showed any interest although the child was not in school for several weeks,” she said.
In addition, Hope said that the Teaching Service Commission was the correct place to go, but she believed that she was diverted.
“I had to spend almost $10,000 from Corentyne in Berbice to the Teaching Service Commission, then to Brickdam in Georgetown. I had to pay an adult fare for my niece.
Everything is money. La Toya wants to go to school, she even opt to go to lessons as she don’t want to stay home. They promised to transfer her to Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary School, I hope we get through,” she said.
