Brian Isaacs, who was dismissed as principal of South Peninsula High School earlier this month by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), addressed a Youth Day event at the Open Mosque in Wynberg on Thursday June 16.
The event invited attendees of all faiths to an iftar (or breaking of the fast) and to celebrate the importance of the Soweto Uprising of 1976.
In his speech, “Youth, freedom and the future”, Mr Isaacs, who is currently appealing his dismissal, spoke about the struggles of the youth of 1976 and his struggles with the WCED.
Mr Isaacs has been in the news over the past few months over his battle with the WCED, which notified him of his dismissal on Wednesday June 1. The WCED said an independent presiding officer had decided on a sanction of dismissal for Mr Isaacs following a disciplinary hearing.
Mr Isaacs was found guilty of giving false statements concerning his employer, in terms of the Employment of Educator’s Act and was found guilty of two charges of disrespect or abuse or insolent behaviour towards offi- cials.
He was found not guilty of issuing an unlawful instruction to a staff member and not guilty of disrespect or abusive or insolent behaviour towards his employer.
Mr Isaacs said that if his appeal should fail and the decision to dismiss him was upheld, he would be able to walk away with his dignity intact.