Pretoria High School for Girls Principal Suspended Amid Racism Allegations Probe. Just two weeks back, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) released a statement about the suspension of 12 learners at Pretoria High School for Girls. The learners were suspended over allegations of racism.Their disciplinary hearing was scheduled to take place on July 30 and July 31.
The Tshwane South District was tipped about a planned protest by a group of learners scheduled for Friday, July 19. This was triggered by alleged racial connotations, micro-aggressions, and complaints about black learners, which were ventilated through a WhatsApp Group comprised of white learners.
The conversations that the girls had allegedly included racial commentary about the ongoing dissatisfaction among black learners regarding issues they faced at the school. They alluded to these issues being insignificant. Also commentary about a black hair protest by learners that reportedly took place at the school in 2016 was also made in the group chat.
The department has now suspended Pretoria High School for Girls principal Phillipa Erasmus pending investigations of alleged racism at the school. According to Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane, this was a precautionary suspension that would take effect immediately. One of the deputy principals will stand as acting principal for now.
