SAHRC probe clears Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke teacher of racism
The South African Human Rights Commission on Thursday issued their final investigative report into claims of racism at Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke in North West.
The release comes four years after the January 2019 incident in a grade R classroom at the school.
The school hit the headlines after a photo emerged depicting four black and eighteen white children seated at separate tables.
The incident led to the suspension of teacher Elana Barkhuizen.
In a statement released on Thursday, the commission said their investigation found that Barkhuizen was not the responsible teacher for the class.
“The commission found that the teacher, who was publicly denounced for racism and subsequently suspended by the department without due process, was not the teacher responsible for the class where the photograph was taken.
“The commission further found that although the school's conduct of segregating black and white learners, as depicted in the photograph, amounted to discrimination, such discrimination was not unfair.
“In coming to this finding, the commission considered several factors, including the fact that the sitting arrangements depicted in the photograph did not last longer than 10 minutes and that another photograph taken after the impugned photograph showed black and white learners sitting on the same desk.
“Therefore, the nature and extent of the discrimination were limited to a portion of the first day of school. Secondly, the incident did not impair the dignity of the learners or adversely impact them in any other way.”
The Human Rights Commission has also ordered the provincial education MEC to issue a public written apology to the teacher, as she was wrongfully accused of racism.
“The School Governing Body of the school should adopt a clear policy regarding the publication of messages or images of learners to third parties to ensure that the identity and personal information of learners are protected by the law.
“The principal of the school should update the commission on the process of drafting policies dealing with racism, diversity and transformation at the school in line with the undertaking made during the investigation of the matter.”
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