This is part 11 of my story as I uncover the truth about what happened at St Stithians College (JHB, South Africa) in June 2020, bring the perpetrators and accessories to account, and try to stop the ongoing damage that is being done to children and teachers. Other parts are archived here.
The following letter was sent via my attorney:
26 October 2023
TO: Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa NPC
ATTENTION THE DIRECTORS:
Azar Paul JAMMINE | Lebogang MONTJANE | Gail Ann FORSMAN | Nthime Dwight KHOELE | Gregory Carl FERGUSON-BROWN | George Julian HARRIS | Juliana Agnes DREYER | Jacobus FREDERICKS | Robin Murray PEARSE | Sandile Graduate SOKHELA | Zukiswa MTHIMUNYE
CARE OF:
Mr. Lebogang MONTJANE | Executive Director
Dr Azar JAMMINE | Non-Executive Director
OPEN LETTER & CALL FOR SANCTIONS AGAINST ST STITHIANS COLLEGE (“SSC”) AS A MEMBER OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (“ISASA”) & AGAINST SSC OFFICIALS IN THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITIES
As you are aware:
Bullying of any nature is prohibited in South African schools and is a breach of learners’ constitutional rights.
Bullies can include teachers, school officials, consultants, and advisors.
Schools and administrators have a duty of care towards learners and can be held liable for damages suffered.
Bullying “contravenes ISASA’s Requirements for Membership” and its “Conditions for Membership” which confer several obligations upon member schools and officials.
Bullying includes false accusations, initiations, racism, social and digital media manipulation, and manipulations of the law and a school’s code of conduct in illegal attempts to expel learners.
Anti-bullying policies apply not only to learners.
Extracts from the document “ISASA Statement on Bullying”:
“ISASA would like to place on record that both the Association and its member schools condemn bullying in any form”.
“Bullying of any nature in public and independent schools is prohibited in the Schools Act (1996) and its subsequent amendments and is a breach of learners’ constitutional rights”.
“Adults, and in particular parents and teachers, have a responsibility to report bullying if and when they become aware of it, not to condone it through silence. Children, like all people, are equal before the law and must be protected”.
“Bullying is a criminal offence and can result in prosecution of the perpetrators”.
The ISASA requirement for membership includes that an ISASA member school must “promote and nurture a commitment to a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights”.
Moreover, in its “conditions for membership”, ISASA exhorts its members to “act honestly, fairly, and to exhibit moral leadership”.
“Any incidence of bullying is deplorable because it has such serious and far-reaching consequences for the victim, the aggressor, the families involved and the school”.
ISASA can immediately “activate its internal disciplinary process that can result in either suspension or termination of membership”.
Extracts from the ISASA document “Example Policy on Bullying”
“Bullying slowly kills its victims, battering their self-esteem, destroying their belief in themselves and changing their personalities. They feel insecure, depressed, helpless and in severe cases, suicidal. In extreme cases, they are unable to realise their full potential.”
“Ken Rigby (1996) defines bullying as repeated oppression, psychological or physical, of a less powerful person by a more powerful person or group of persons.”
It is common knowledge that ISASA provides legal and policy advice to members, for instance:
The ISASA Policy Unit became the Legal, Policy and Government Relations Department. As part of its service, ISASA produces and distributes documents such as the “RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND TERMINATION OF ENROLMENT CONTRACTS, STEP-BY-STEP GUIDELINES FOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS” together with legal templates for correspondence for schools to exclude learners from member schools due to “non-payment of school fees, learner misconduct, and parental misconduct”.
Bullying by St Stithians College and its officials:
I am the father of a former student at St Stithians Girls’ College where my daughter was bullied by a team led by Dr Sally James, Ms Leanne Horwitz, and Mrs Ntombi Langa-Royds.
I am recording my story as I expose the truth about what happened at St Stithians between June and December 2020, bring the perpetrators and accessories to account, and try to stop the ongoing damage that is being done to children and teachers, see more at [link to this Substack].
I have brought the first matter against St Stithians and the three abovementioned officials before a Regional Court and despite their efforts to have the matter thrown out or my claims diminished, the court ruled in my favour and the matter is proceeding.
For background, on 31 May 2020 the Head of the Girls’ College, Dr Sally James, made false, unfounded, and defamatory allegations against my daughter. She was forced, during the pressure of her matric year and covid lockdowns, into a sham trial and biased disciplinary process which on 23 June found her NOT guilty but which sanctioned her anyway. The sanctions included further race-based bullying and expulsion suspended for 6 months.
On 20 June 2020, three days prior to the illegal sanctions being imposed, a representative of ISASA attended a very strange meeting at SSC. The records of this meeting include that sanctions against students and teachers were discussed and I therefore suggest that ISASA played a contributory role in the bullying. I urge you to urgently clarify who attended this meeting and for what purpose and intent. I reserve my rights to pursue this aspect further.
On 5 October 2020, the independent chair of the appeal ruled against St Stithians, Sally James, Leanne Horwitz, and Ntombi Langa-Royds, dismissing both the findings of guilt and the sanctions imposed. His findings were scathing of the college, its officials, its processes, and highlighted the possibility of damaging consequences for my daughter.
My daughter is now also suing St Stithians and its officials for negligence and malfeasance in a separate matter at the High Court. She also has the right to bring criminal complaints against the perpetrators.
I foresee that we won’t be the last litigants.
I wrote to PwC motivating that they consider the previously unknown contingent liabilities in the financial affairs of St Stithians. A redacted copy of the letter dated 3 July 2023 is attached. I now observe that PwC is a “Corporate Associate” of ISASA and am left wondering if there are any conflicts of interest that may need to be dealt with. I will therefore write to PwC in that regard.
I also attach a redacted copy of my letter dated 1 August 2023 to the rector of St Stithians, Mrs Celeste Gilardi, in which I call for the suspension of Dr Sally James. I have had no response. As I have already pointed out to Mrs Gilardi, SSC and PwC, Mrs Gilardi suffers from conflicts of interest.
It is contextually relevant that I also bring to your attention that attempts to bully my daughter continue to this day, with SSC officials spreading lies, false or misleading information including misinformation* and disinformation* about her 2020 matter to members of the school community and members of the public.
The propensity of St Stithians College and its officials to rely on fake evidence, fake narratives, misinformation, and disinformation, is disturbing and has been used to bully and initiate not only my daughter but other students, teachers, and staff. Several teachers were bullied to the extent that many moved to other schools or have sadly left teaching as a career.
My current demands
I call upon ISASA to demonstrate substance to its statements, alignment with its foundational purpose and intent, standards of governance and fiduciary obligations, by at least:
Immediately suspend the membership of SSC and associated officials.
Investigate this matter fully and report your findings and decisions within 90 calendar days hereof via return email.
Commit to fully cooperate, at the appropriate time, with any criminal complaints or forensic investigations into SSC and its officials that may occur. Confirmation by return email within 14 calendar days hereof.
Name the ISASA officials or representatives and explain their and ISASA’s role at the meeting on 20 July 2020 with SSC, and actions pursuant to such meeting. Respond by return email within 14 calendar days hereof.
Notify ISASA group insurers and financial service providers of potentially illegal, malfeasant and negligent actions by insured members and officials. Confirmation by return email within 14 calendar days hereof.
Develop a policy that protects teachers, students, and parents, from bullying by school officials and administrators, including liability for any consequences including suicide. I expect to be able to vet such a policy and may coordinate input from other parents and victims who currently wish to remain anonymous. To be completed and return emailed within 180 calendar days hereof.
Review of school governing structures, implemented with training, such that SGBs are capacitated with independent and critical thinking skills and an ability to rise above identity politics. I expect to be able to contribute to this review and will coordinate input from other parents, teachers, and governance experts. To be completed and return emailed within 180 calendar days hereof.
Please acknowledge receipt of this letter. If I do not hear back from you within 7 calendar days, I will assume that you have chosen to ignore the letter and declined my demands, while also reserving my rights to take further and or alternative steps.
Please note that in the public interest, a redacted version of this letter will be available on my Substack and elsewhere.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Humphries
Attachments:
Redacted copy of my open letter dated 3 July 2023 to PwC regarding its client St Stithians College.
Redacted copy of my open letter dated 1 August 2023 to the rector of St Stithians, Mrs Celeste Gilardi, calling for the suspension of the head of girls’ college.
* Misinformation and disinformation are both terms used to describe false or misleading information, but they differ in intent:
Misinformation refers to false or inaccurate information that is shared without the intention to deceive. It can be spread unintentionally and includes mistakes, rumours, or inaccuracies that people may share, often without realising their falseness.
Disinformation, on the other hand, is deliberately false information spread with the intention to deceive, manipulate, or mislead others. It's often used for political, ideological, or malicious purposes and is a form of propaganda.
The key difference lies in intent: misinformation is not intentionally false, while disinformation is deliberately spread to mislead or harm. Both can have significant real-world consequences and pose challenges for information accuracy and trust.