Hampton Principal Sent on Leave

Jamaica Observer
January 12, 2017

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Hampton-principal-sent-on-leave_86325

MURRAY... apologised for trying to impede media personnel

Hampton High School Principal Heather Murray is being sent on two weeks leave as of January 16 for her actions outside the St Elizabeth Parish Court last week, where she attended the arraignment for Moravian minister Rupert Clarke, who has been charged with rape and carnal abuse of a 15-year-old girl from the parish.

Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid made the announcement in a news release issued last night. The decision was taken at a meeting called by Reid and attended by senior education ministry officers, Murray, members of the Hampton Board and the Munro and Dickenson Trust yesterday.

Reid said given the way Murray’s actions had been interpreted, and the controversy having affected her administrative responsibilities, the time off was necessary “for reflection and completion of her report to the board and the trustees”.

Stemming from the meeting, Murray also issued a statement apologising for her behaviour.

Murray had tried to block a television camera from recording Clarke leaving the courthouse after he had been arraigned.

“I accept that it was imprudent and inappropriate for me to take any steps in the precincts of the courthouse, irrespective of the legal stipulations, which could interfere with the rights of the free press or impede the work of media practitioners in the pursuit of duty,” she said.

Murray also apologised to the education community and the country for her presence and actions, which she said have been “misinterpreted as support” for the accused pastor.

“I had become so immersed in the emotional trauma of the hurt and embarrassment which the wife of the accused was experiencing that I failed to realise that my presence in the precincts of the court could possibly be misconstrued as taking the side of her husband, rather than the victim,” she said. “In my sisterly embrace and response of loyalty to her, I failed to take into account that my being there could expose my office or the institution I head to any hint of controversy or cloud of misunderstanding.”

She stressed that she was deeply grieved at the perception, as it contradicts her lifetime work as an educator, mother, wife, and a woman. “In this regard, my record of protecting all those under my care can withstand the most exacting scrutiny. There are countless teachers, pupils, parents, and workers in the field who can all attest to my resolute and consistent stand against any form of sexual abuse or exploitation,” the embattled principal stated.

Last night, the ministry said that Murray was “expected to complete a formal report to the school board and the Munro and Dickenson Trust about her actions outside the court, where she said she had gone to support a friend, who is the wife of the man accused of sexual abuse”.

In the meantime, the school board has been given until January 30 to submit a full report to the ministry on the actions of the principal.

The ministry also said that Murray is to “avail herself of professional counselling services, given what was described as her recent emotional stress. The principal will finalise her report to the board and the management will review and take action as necessary”.