Principal Headley reportedly landed in hot water when she spoke out publicly against Minister Walwyn's decision to remove the signage from the Althea Scatliffe School Building

Before and After: The signage was seen as a morale booster for students, however, Minister Walwyn was not impressed and had the signage removed. Photos: VINO

Ms. Flax-Headley had labelled the decision by the Minister as insulting since the directive was allegedly issued without any prior dialogue with the school’s administration.

She had also said the school was given permission by former Minister for Education Honourable Andrew A. Fahie to use the slogan on the building at its own expense and it was done to boost morale among students and staff.

She had indicated to Virgin Islands News Online that she received an E-mail on a Sunday night January 1, 2012, from then Acting Chief Education Officer Jillian Douglas-Phillip instructing that the sign be removed. The Principal further noted that no one ever called to say why nor did the E-mail include a reason for the decision.

“The school has a principal, and two assistant principals, not one of us were called. The sign is there for a reason and we got permission to put it there. I feel that the department should have had the courtesy to dialogue with us if there was a problem with the slogan,” she had said.

Grounds for Referral to the Teacher’s Service Commission

Mrs. Flax-Headley was also reportedly summed to a meeting with Minister Walywn, along with the Ag. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture and the then Ag. Chief Education Officer. She was reportedly told by the Minister that her speaking publicly about the signage removal matter were grounds to be referred to the Teacher’s Service Commission.

However, upon Virgin Islands News Online own investigation from its team of reporters and sources inside the Commission, no such referral has come before the Commission.

Both the Ag. Chief Education Officer and Mrs. Flax Headley could not be reached for comments as of publication time.

Many opposed Mr. Walwyn’s decision

Many residents, former Althea Scatliffe Primary School students and some talk show hosts were critical of the Minister’s decision.

Talk Show host Donald deCastro said that the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture Myron V. Wawlyn was wrong to have the slogan on the Althea Scatliffe Primary School building removed, as he felt it was an example of national pride being affected.

The radio talk show host, who was speaking on his radio talk show ‘Straight Talk’ on January 10, 2012, also likened the manner it was done to “an act of dictatorship.”

According to the talk show host, there are many colleges and universities around the world that are identified by slogans and even mascots and noted too that the name of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School was clearly written at the entrance of the school that “even a blind man could see it”, hence the slogan he said was not in any way replacing the real name of the school.

He also came in defense of the school’s principal Marieta Flax-Headley for speaking to the media about the issue as, according to him, she was exercising her freedom of expression.

When the controversy erupted Minister Walwyn had issued a statement on the matter in which he said, it is a long standing policy for the Government of the Virgin Islands to name schools in honour of outstanding educators and that the Althea Scatliffe Primary School is one such institution. “The recent painting of what appeared to be a slogan on the school, though ingenious and fosters school spirit, is not in keeping with the expressed desire to honour those who served and the promoting of their legacy of service. The said signage has thus been removed from the school building after the principal was informed accordingly,” the statement read.