A teacher in St. Vincent (Adriana King) who went to the Ministry of Education to ascertain information from her personal file was told that only those addressed to her would be accessible.
The well-known educator and activist has been at loggerheads with the administration of the day; she is still on half pay after three years with no near end in sight due to a court matter that still dangles over her head like the “sword of Damocles.”.
A video posted by Adriana King showed MOE workers scampering out of the office, leaving the said teacher alone in the waiting area with lights turned off, reminiscent of the TV show ‘The Twilight Zone.’
King said she arrived at the MOE at 2.32 p.m. and was told by reception that her request could only be dealt with by a higher official. After 10 minutes of waiting, the official with the responsibility to help King told her that she could only get copies of what was addressed to her from the file.
King was advised by both the lawyer and the union that all matters in her file are accessible to her by law; her request for copies of all information from her file was turned down as the official once again stated that only those addressed to her would be given, King stated.
King reported that she received instructions to wait once more due to an upcoming meeting. While waiting for almost an hour, she said she heard her voice coming from where the meeting had taken place and recognised that it was from a video she had posted on Facebook.
“I said, but that’s my voice. Seconds after, a man in the area where the meeting was taking place said, the meeting is adjourned; something has come up; let wisdom prevail. After that, I notice persons started moving around, so I ask for copies again, only to be told the same thing. I was asked to wait again, then the AC above me was turned off, and then the lights went off. A man who came to the office said, Wait, electricity is out, but when I looked into workspace area, the lights were on. Then everyone started leaving in a hurry, so I thought something was happening in the building. I kept asking what’s going on; no one answered me. Then a male worker who was leaving told me they are under instructions to leave immediately. I felt it was best that I leave as well, so I went outside; this was around 3.40”.
On Monday another teacher (who this time went to the PSC to resign) was dragged out by police in an inhumane fashion and was later released without charge.
