Principal pleads guilty to insubordination

RIVONIA Primary School principal Carol Drysdale agreed to plead guilty to charges of gross insubordination so that she could go back to doing "what she does best - work as a teacher".

RIVONIA Primary School principal Carol Drysdale yesterday agreed to plead guilty to charges of gross insubordination so that she could go back to doing "what she does best - work as a teacher".

The Gauteng department of basic education hauled Drysdale before an internal disciplinary hearing after she refused to admit a pupil into the school last year. The school governing body argued classes were full.

Departmental spokesman Charles Phahlane said Drysdale was charged because she ignored the head of the department's instruction to allow the child in.

Drysdale pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, but yesterday changed her plea in order to avoid substantial legal costs and get back to work, while the department agreed not to fire her. The department wants to issue her with a final written warning and a one month salary fine while her lawyer is asking for an ordinary written warning. Chairman advocate Terry Motau SC will pass judgment in a month .