The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) has slammed the alleged conduct of Westville Girls High School teacher Danielle de Bruyn‚ who is accused of using the k-word to describe black people during a lesson.
De Bruyn’s heated rant is understood to have been borne out of a discussion in class about issues of land expropriation without compensation. She resigned from her post on Monday.
In statement issued on Wednesday‚ Naptosa’s Thirona Moodley said that teachers should be agents of democracy and custodians of children’s rights.
“Educators are expected to deliver the curriculum in a responsible manner‚ in a manner that develops young people into responsible conscious citizens. Educators who have racist tendencies have no place in the classroom as they have the power to influence young minds and undo the strides our democracy has made‚” she said.
“We appeal to educators to be guarded‚ and not to share personal views with young impressionable minds.”
Moodley said that De Bruyn may face investigation by the South African Council of Educators‚ and that she faces the possibility of being struck from the roll of teachers.
“Parents must be alert to this conduct and report to the management of the school. It is the responsibility of the principal to treat all complaints seriously and investigate and report back to the parents‚” she said.
De Bruyn has yet to respond to queries about the alleged racist outburst in the classroom.
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