Teachers’ fate still on hold

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This article was published 16/03/2010 (5665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Almost a month after two suspended Churchill High School teachers performed a lewd simulated lap dance in the school gym, the fate of their jobs is still up in the air — and there’s no end in sight to an ongoing investigation.

Winnipeg School Division trustees again went behind closed doors Monday night with only the most senior staff present, and again, took no action.

"You’re trying to be fair. This is really a long exercise. They have to talk to everyone in detail," school board chairwoman Jackie Sneesby said in an interview after the board broke up for the night. "I want to do this right."

Sneesby said the WSD needs to ensure that everyone’s rights are respected, and that all sides are heard.

Whether the two suspended teachers have been interviewed yet isn’t clear — Sneesby emphasized repeatedly that senior administrators are telling the trustees few details. Sources say staff have not even officially told trustees the names of the teachers, and Sneesby was careful not to use their names or even to name Churchill High.

While Sneesby had hoped the controversy would be resolved by now, she said, "We have to be really careful. I would appreciate if this was done slowly, carefully, and right."

Sneesby said that the next regular board meeting is April 11, but even having a staff recommendation by that night is anyone’s guess.

Teachers Chrystie Fitchner and Adeil Ahmed have been suspended with pay for almost four weeks, for performing a lewd dance, including simulated oral sex, at a school spirit event in the Churchill gym.

Two videos shot by students and posted on YouTube appear to have been removed from the website, but not before being viewed around the world.

Winnipeg Teachers Association president Dave Najduch refused earlier Monday to discuss whether the two suspended teachers have heard from the administration about any disciplinary action senior staff was recommending to trustees.

"We’re in communication with them (the two teachers). I’m not prepared to say more than that," said Najduch, who had previously said the two teachers had not heard anything yet.

The division has been paying two substitute teachers at regular teachers’ rates to replace the two during their suspension.

During Monday’s public session, trustee Mike Babinsky wanted to know why trustees’ information packages no longer include newspaper clippings about all WSD news coverage — meaning, but not naming, the Churchill situation.

Both Sneesby and chief superintendent Pauline Clarke said the news coverage issue would also have to go behind closed doors.

"Because it deals with something private, in confidence," Sneesby told Babinsky. "We haven’t been sending things out, because the topic is in camera."

WSD has also not ruled out the possibility of taking disciplinary action against students who violated a strict policy that forbids use of recording devices such as cellphone cameras in schools.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca