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De La Salle College teachers to be balloted for strike action as pupils and parents protest over teacher absences

The scene outside De La Salle College, west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell
The scene outside De La Salle College, west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell The scene outside De La Salle College, west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell

TEACHERS are to be balloted for industrial action at a west Belfast school at the centre of a pupil and parent protest amid claims staff absenteeism is hampering vital exam preparation.

Sixth form students at La Salle College in Andersonstown briefly walked out at mid-morning on Tuesday to join their parents who had been holding a protest at the gates since 8.45am.

It came a day after up to a third of teachers were reportedly absent from the school, which has been in turmoil over breakdown in relations between a significant number of staff and the principal, Claire White, for several months.

Teachers are said to be concerned about an incident that took place last October at the school and how it was subsequently handled.

At a meeting of INTO's Central Executive Committee on Tuesday, it was decided that the union "will ballot members within the school for further targeted industrial action" over "increasing concern at the slow progress towards a resolution of the issues in the school" .

Several meetings have been held involving school staff, governors, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and the teaching unions.

A CCMS spokeswoman said the body is "continuing to work closely with the board of governors, the principal and teacher unions to try and address these and reach a resolution".

Parents explain their concerns:

Mrs White said the school is "currently dealing with some internal issues at the school" but insisted "it is actively managing the situation".

"De La Salle College is committed to the providing the highest levels of education provision to its pupils and it takes the wellbeing of its pupils and staff extremely seriously," she said.

"The college will continue to work closely with the relevant bodies, including the trade unions, to resolve these issues in as timely a manner as possible."

But the INTO said it is "concerned at the deteriorating industrial relations" and will ballot members for strike.

Northern Secretary Gerry Murphy said the union was engaged with "the school’s management and employing authority in an attempt to address a number of ongoing issues."

"INTO has been made aware that a number of our members within the school are currently absent on medically certificated absences.

"... INTO would prefer to reach an acceptable resolution around the issues within the school, rather than see any further erosion of the industrial relations climate."

The parents protesting said they have been left in the dark about what is happening and are concerned about what they believe is a deterioration in their children's grades in the past 18 months.

They said staff absences are leaving pupils sitting in `free periods' - with one claiming an A level class was left with just bullet points on a blackboard as the day's lesson.

Aine Magee's son is repeating Fifth Year.

"My child had As the whole way though school to Year Five and then he failed his exams," she said.

"That's because they didn't have teachers to teach them and didn't have work," she claimed.

"This used to be a good school. People chose it over grammar schools, but people are taking their children out and others who had it down as one of their preferences from primary school have asked for it to be removed."

Sixth former Niall Burns joined parents at the protest and said pupils were afraid the situation could affect their future academic prospects.

"We're all falling behind, every one of us. It's taking its toll now," he said.

Another parent Monica O'Brien, who managed to secure a meeting with the headmistress during Tuesday's protest, said she had been trying to get Mrs White to talk to her "since November".

She has a child in Year 8 and one in sixth form.

"The children are getting so many free periods, work that is meant to be covered is not being covered. They're now a year behind. How are they supposed to catch up?"

After the meeting Ms O'Brien said she had not been reassured by what the principal had said.

"She said all the classes would be covered. I don't feel satisfied. Actions speak louder than words. We would like to see the teachers back in the classroom.

"We will be here again tomorrow morning. It's all we can do."