School board chairman Duncan Turner wrote to Sharynne Bayne recently, offering to exempt her from paying the outstanding second term school fees, freeing her from the contractual notice period of a full term and also agreed to pay back the R1 350 camp fees for a trip which her child never participated in.
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The sudden U-turn by the school over fees refunds is the latest development in a bitter feud between Turner and Bayne. Turner initially shot down the demand.
Turner and Bayne locked horns following allegations that a teacher insulted her son by saying he had a pea-sized brain. Bayne withdrew two of her children from the school and demanded her fees be refunded, an apology to her sons and access to the qualifications of the teachers at the school. The pair have been exchanging acrimonious letters ever since.
“The school will credit your account with the amount of R1 350 in respect of the camp fees paid and the amount of R6 870 in respect of the refundable portion of the enrolment fee/deposit,” reads part of the latest bitter exchange from Turner’s desk.
Turner, however, withdrew an invitation to Bayne to inspect the teachers’ qualifications. “We will not be setting up a meeting with you for the purposes you have suggested. If we believed that there was a chance of reconciliation, we would have certainly attempted to do so, but the tone and manner in which you have approached this matter shows that you are intent on confrontation with no intention of any amicable resolution,” said Turner.
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Bayne is not allowing the matter to lie. She feels that Turner was only in a rush to pay her in order to run away from her other demands.
“I have not had a look at your statement which you have attached as the money means nothing to me. What is relevant, however, is that Tristin and Tyrin receive an apology. By neglecting to do so, the school is in effect teaching these kids that it is quite alright for adults to lie, but not for children to lie,” she said.
“I get the impression that you will wipe it under the table and pay me off to go away. This will not happen until an apology has been made to both my sons and I have seen the qualifications of the teachers who have been teaching them,” said Bayne.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng Department of Education announced last week that the remedial school was under investigation.
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