'Racist' principal rejected
The parents and school governing body at Elandspoort High School in Pretoria are up in arms that a principal they allege called pupils "black bastards" is to return to school on Tuesday. In letters to the Gauteng education department they say Herman Roestorff is "not welcome at the school and his racism will not be tolerated".On April 12 2012, Roestorff allegedly told Grade 9 pupils they were "black bastards" and could go to hell because they wouldn't "get into heaven".He is alleged to have said black pupils should leave the Afrikaans school, in the suburb of Danville, and return to the township.A day later pupils had protested outside the school gates, said the Gauteng chairman of the Federation of Governing Bodies in SA, Marius Botha.Now, three years later, Roestorff is set to lead the school again, despite the fact that he pleaded guilty at a disciplinary hearing chaired by education department officials in 2012.The governing body has, despite numerous attempts, been unable to determine what charge Roestorff pleaded guilty to.The principal was fined a month's salary.He appealed in February and reached a settlement with the department at the Educators Labour Relations Council whereby he was given back his job.Since then the governing body has written to the department explaining that it would not be in the best interests of the pupils if Roestorff returned."They will not want to do their best under his leadership because of his hatred for black children," the chairman of the governing body, Mary Magodielo, wrote to the department earlier this year.The governing body also wants to know why Roestorff's appeal to the council took place almost three years after the incident and why no governing body members or teachers were invited to attend.Botha said parents had vowed to protest at the school gate on Tuesday if the principal returned.The education department was to meet parents last night.Roestorff said yesterday he was "not willing to comment at this stage".The department claims it is not forcing him on the school and that the parties were holding "consultations", but The Times has seen the agenda provided to the school on Monday, which has only one point - Roestorff's resumption of his position at the school.Botha explained that he had to return as that is what the council had ruled...
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