The St. George's College Class of 2006 prepares to march into the campus auditorium during yesterday's graduation exercise at the school's North Street, central Kingston, compound. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
ROMAN CATHOLIC Arch-bishop of Kingston, Rt. Rev. Lawrence Burke, has issued a strong warning to parents and teachers of St. George's College to stop the "infighting" and work harmoniously together for the good of the school.
The archbishop issued the caution yesterday, while addressing the school's graduation for 153 students who will now move on to the next stage of their lives.
The archbishop was speaking to the recent objections voiced by parents to the impending appointment of a female principal to replace outgoing principal Dr. Fred Kennedy at the school.
But yesterday, while Dr. Kennedy skirted around the issue in his address to the graduating class, with hundreds of parents and the teaching staff in attendance, Rev. Burke spoke bluntly to it.
LISTEN CAREFULLY
"I would just like to say to the parents and all the stakeholders to listen carefully to what Dr. Kennedy has said. For this school to continue to prosper and to grow and achieve its mission, the important thing is for harmonious relationships and synergy and care," Rev. Burke said. "Don't get upset, this school has been through a lot and has come through and it will come through again no matter what or who is going to be the principal of this school."
He encouraged parents and teachers to place trust in the school board, which he said would want the best for the school and their children and as such will seek the best candidate to fill the principal's position.
"... So we must do our part to develop harmonious relations and synergies and care to make sure that we continue to build a strong community here at St. George's College," said Rev. Burke, a former principal of the school.
In addressing the concerns about a female principal, raised by parents at a recent parent-teacher association meeting, the archbishop said more men need to enter the teaching profession.
Up to last week, the Services Commission had yet to finalise its selection of a new principal for the school.
