A MILNERTON High School deputy principal who allegedly forced a black pupil to kneel and repeatedly bow before a white pupil is to appear before a disciplinary hearing.
The Western Cape Education Department said the teacher would face a charge of misconduct.
He was expected to appear before the disciplinary hearing this week.
The decision followed a departmental investigation into the alleged February 8 incident which caused a stir among the school community and a public uproar.
Apparently the two pupils fought over a bench and the matter was escalated to the principal’s office and also to the head of the disciplinary committee, Iqbal Cassim.
“The pupil was made to raise his hands up and down while he was on his knees – it looked like he was worshipping him. This took place in front of some learners,” a source told the Weekend Argus shortly after the incident.
Pupils of all races then staged a peaceful “anti-racism” protest, and took the knee, the anti-racist stance, on the sports field.
They also demanded that the school address the issue at the school assembly.
Instead school principal Paul Besener and his deputy Cassim attended a meeting to apologise to the pupil. A member of the school governing body allegedly told the learners that “all parties had apologised to each other, directly and indirectly”.
However, the black learner shared his anguish at assembly.
“I’m sure everyone is disappointed that (Mr) Cassim is not here. At the end of the day I am just grateful for the support that the school has shown me. (Mr) Cassim took my dignity and for him to do that and not show up is not fair. Thank you for being there during my downfall and for helping me rise up again,” the pupil told the assembly.
Besener confirmed the incident but denied that it had been racist as the teacher was of Indian descent.
Some parents described the incident as racist and likened it to “apartheid practices”.
“It’s disturbing that 30 years into our democracy, children are made to relive apartheid where blacks were regarded as being inferior and submissive to other races,” a parent said.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said counselling had been “made available to the learner”.
Cassim had not been placed on suspension, she said.
The South African Human Rights Commission said it was also looking into the matter.
Following the incident, former pupils and parents created a social media page on Instagram to recount their experiences.
One parent alleged that she had been told by her child that racist references were made to identify pupils.
“Apparently our children were referred to as ‘hey you black girl, black boy or Chinese boy’. When the teacher was asked by a learner if he did not find this odd, he merely told them to embrace their race,” the parent said.
Another parent alleged that her son had not been accepted because he would not shave his dreadlocks.
A former pupil also shared an experience of allegedly being “touched in an inappropriate manner” and concern that the reported incidents were not being dealt with.