Parents protest at Eastville Primary over inappropriate behaviour by school volunteer

Outraged parents staged a protest outside of Eastville Primary school in Mitchells Plain calling for SGB members to be vetted before taking on any formal duties and for the principal to be removed. This after a case of crimen injuria was opened against the volunteer, with claims that she acted inappropriately inside the classroom

Armed with placards, the group of irate parents vowed not to leave until the principal came to see them on Monday. They said learners claimed the woman made inappropriate comments of a sexual nature inside the classroom including allegedly bragging how many times she and her husband had sex.

Millicent Merton of the Western Cape Education Department ( WCED) said a complaint  was received about a Student Governing Body (SGB) member, who also volunteers at the school while police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed a crimen injuria case was registered for investigation with no arrests.

The grandmother of an 11-year-old girl in Grade five claims the SGB member made inappropriate comments about the child's private parts and opened a case with police.

“I am not satisfied with how this matter was dealt with,” she told Cape Argus.

“This SBG member touched my granddaughter’s breasts and told her she is not wearing a bra and that she has small breasts.

“She apparently showed the class her bra and how it must look.

“She told the children how she and her husband had six rounds of sex.

“She must be removed from the SG.

“We approached the principal to address this and we were told the woman is not there and we waited for an hour at the school.”

Another parent, of two boys aged 13 and 11, said her sons were left distraught, claiming the woman allegedly told them which pornographic site to visit.

“We were notified last week Thursday that we need to ask our children what transpired in the classroom while the teacher was not there and the SGB member was a substitute and volunteer for the day.

“I asked my two boys what happened, they told me about the way this lady, an SGB member, spoke with them. 

“Showing them the bra and what she and her husband does and what positions.

"Displaying the porn website hub onto the board and writing it on the board telling them they can go there for videos, I think that is so inappropriate because we as parents do not display such behaviour to our kids.

“We are calling for these SGB members to be vetted.”

Beatrice Roberts, also a grandmother, said she assisted in the opening of the school decades ago, is calling for the principal’s post to be reviewed: “We really miss Mr Stark, when he was principal, we had no issues like this.”

“Today, it has changed. I think we need another principal here, there are too many things happening here.”

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