Parents protest principal’s appointment
Posted Jun 8, 2011 05:51:41 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A group of parents say the school board had no business appointing a new principal at their kids’ school while the official in question is under investigation.
Principal Jane Gourley is preparing to take over as principal at Ecole Rockingham – but parents say she shouldn’t hold any position while the board looks into allegations of bullying and harassment.
Gourley is alleged to have had several run-ins with teachers at her previous school, St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary, which led staff to take more days off and hiring more substitute teachers. Several teachers are said to have complained they felt bullied, which ultimately led to a harassment investigation.
Parent Alison DeLory says they understand there’s a process but says Gourley shouldn’t be in a school while that process is happening.
“Why isn’t she being maintained in her current position at the school board office?” said Delory. “It doesn’t make sense to us and we don’t feel good about the fact that she’s coming into a school environment.”
DeLory says the board’s own hiring policy states that a candidate must demonstrate competency as a school leader in order to take a principal’s position.
But Halifax Regional School Board spokesman Doug Hadley says the board is comfortable with their decision.
“We would not have appointed her to that position if we didn’t feel that she would be successful in leading Ecole Rockingham,” stated Hadley.
DeLory insists it’s not personal and they aren’t out to vilify Gourley. She says it’s about the children’s education.
“What we want is that this harassment investigation is complete before she’s named into the principal’s role in any school,” said DeLory. “What we saw happen at St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary was that a schism developed between her and some of her staff which resulted in there missing many teaching days. We believe the quality of the educational experience is not the same when there’s a rotating system of substitutes coming into the school.”
Hadley says the harassment claim doesn’t hinder Gourley’s ability to lead the school and that the school board has every confidence that she can be a successful principal at Ecole Rockingham.
“What we would encourage parents to do is take the opportunity to meet Ms. Gourley, and form their own opinions before jumping to conclusions about what she may or may not have done or about her ability to lead the school,” he said.
DeLory says she and the other parents will be happy to meet and work with Gourley if she is exonerated by the investigation, which could be wrapped up this summer.
