Charlemont High: PTA supports principal, booting of football manager
October 19, 2019The Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of Charlemont High School in St Catherine has thrown its support behind embattled Principal Garth Gayle, and has blasted Gayle’s critics.
The school’s past students association, as well as discarded Manager of the football team Yogi Hinds, has criticized the principal regarding his leadership of the institution, claiming that he is a poor leader and is absent too often from the public school.
Gayle, who denied the claims, has been under pressure since the school this year fielded an ineligible player in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup Football Competition.
The footballer enrolled at the school and joined its football team using a forged CXC result slip.
Another school got wind of the breach and reported it to the management of the football competition, resulting in Charlemont High being punished.
The principal subsequently booted the football manager, who said he feels hard done by the school because he was not responsible for vetting documents submitted by persons who seek to enroll at the educational institution.
The football manager also said he was not employed to the school, adding that he was only volunteering with the football programme.
The principal’s booting of the football manager, however, is being supported by newly elected President of the school’s PTA, Hopeton Henry.
“I realize that the coach is not blaming himself, and it is the coach that actually brought this boy in the school. Trust me, in my view, speaking from the PTA perspective, this coach should be fired,” Henry told The Beacon.
Asked if he thinks disciplinary action should also be taken against any member of the school’s administrative team for not detecting the forged document, Henry said: “Investigation by the [school] board showed that the school did the due diligence.”
Henry also chided President of the school’s past students association, Onenetta LaBeach, claiming that LaBeach hates the principal and is using the football saga as an attack point.
“I cannot understand the President of the past students association – what is her claim to fame other than that she hates the principal; and that comes out clearly. Honestly, her whole approach has nothing to do with interfacing with the school in a way to advance the programme of the school,” Henry further claimed.
He stated that the principal has been doing a good job at the institution, adding that the law allows the principal to travel overseas on national duties – as he sometimes does.
“We support him as it relates to the management of the school; we look at the achievement of the school since Mr Gayle came to the school…
“When Mr Gayle travels, he uses the contacts that he has abroad; he uses them to bring resources to the school. As we speak, over 50 computers are to be brought to the school. They are to be cleared at the wharf, and that is for the setting up of a new computer lab,” added Henry, a former Principal and past President of the Jamaica Teachers Association.
Henry, pictured above, also said he and Gayle ‘upapologetically’ have been friends for more than 30 years.
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