ST. CROIX — A group of about 10 teachers from St. Croix Educational Complex stood in the aisle on the sidelines of the auditorium at their school today holding signs to let their presence be known during an American Federation of Teachers conference because they said they never received the registration information to participate.
“They did not send us the booklet, how we could register,” Sayeeda Carter, a Complex drama teacher, said. “So, we just showed up and did a small action.”
The Complex teachers, joined by a teacher from John H. Woodson Junior High School, silently held signs with such phrases as “SCEC Was NOT Invited,” “SCEC WE ARE HERE!,” “Special Election NOW!!!,” and “We Will not be Complacent” as guest speakers made remarks from the stage before attendees participated in breakout sessions.
The teachers protested during the biennial AFT TEACH (Together Educating America’s Children) conference because they said they never received the registration details from St. Croix Federation of Teachers President Tamieka Phillipus, who declined to comment on the matter.
Marisska Nurse, who teaches honors science at Complex, said she is the school’s building representative to the union. She said, however, Phillipus illegally removed her as the building rep without following the union’s constitution after she spoke up on behalf of the teachers.
“If you do not line up, then you get kicked out,” she said.
Nurse said she is not the only union member Phillipus has attempted to remove from their position, noting it has happened with other building reps in addition to the union’s vice president — Sandra Antoine.
Last month, Phillipus told WTJX that she suspended Antoine pending expulsion while an internal investigation is conducted. Antoine said at the time that her suspension should be null and void. The suspension came about following a physical altercation between Phillipus and Antoine during an Executive Board meeting. Phillipus, who claimed Antoine attacked her, filed for a temporary restraining order in Superior Court. Antoine claimed Phillipus was the aggressor who assaulted her. The court dismissed the case without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled if future incidents occur.
READ MORE: Physical altercation between St. Croix AFT president and vice president leads to court case
After attempting to remove her as the Complex building rep, Nurse said Phillipus appointed herself to the position. However, Nurse said she was elected as the building rep and cannot be removed without input from the same teachers who elected her. She said she is fighting her removal through the Public Employees Relations Board. She said other Complex teachers stood up and supported her. As a result, she said those teachers did not receive the information necessary to participate in the conference.
“What you’re seeing is a punishment,” she said
Nurse said the Complex teachers were not the only ones who did not receive the information to attend the conference.
“We have schools that did not come because they weren’t invited as well, because they’re vocal and they’re standing up,” she said, declining to name those schools.
After standing on the side with their signs, the protesting teachers briefly sat down in the auditorium seats as the guest speakers made remarks. They returned to their standing positions with their signs when Phillipus walked on the stage to wrap up that section of the conference.
As conference participants transitioned from the auditorium to breakout sessions, Carter discussed how the school secretary at Complex was never given the invitation for teachers to attend the conference even though Phillipus said the invitation was distributed. However, Carter was interrupted by George Bordenave, AFT senior national representative, who told her to not discuss union business with the press. She informed him that she would discuss what she wants whenever she wants.
Nurse pointed out that Bordenave and none of the other national AFT representatives at the conference approached them to ask them about the issues that resulted in their protest.
“The first thing you should have done as nationals is walk over and say, ‘teachers, how can we assist you?’” she said. “What do you want us to hear?”
Some of the concerns the protesting teachers raised beyond not receiving the official invitation to the conference and registration information was the poor condition of schools, including mold in the classrooms at Complex and Woodson.
Nurse said Woodson teachers have been complaining about mold for months, noting Phillipus has refused to provide them with a mold report.
“They’ve been complaining and telling her that they’re getting sick, and as of yet, nothing has been done,” she said. “There’s a lot of things that are happening that teachers are fighting for, and we’re looking for our president to stand up on our side, and she’s not.”
Cletus Emmanuel, a seventh-grade math teacher at Woodson who joined in the protest, said he and his students got sick last year after being exposed to mold in their classroom. He said he has asthma, so he experienced sinus issues. He said his students experienced eye infections and skin rashes, noting some were also asthmatic.
“I spent the second half of the year in the auditorium and in the cafeteria teaching my students,” he said, noting he also taught students outside in the courtyard when the auditorium needed to be used.
This year, Emmanuel returned to his classroom that tested positive for mold last year after it got cleaned. He said he now has two air purifiers and a dehumidifier. He said his classroom seems to be free from mold but stressed that he is not certain about the air quality because he never received the results of mold tests.
“My concern is the methodology,” he said. “How did you conduct this test? I need to learn that for myself.”
Sarah Jagrup, a freshman English teacher at Complex, said the issues that concern her in the school include mold, a leaky roof in her classroom that has resulted in damage to the floor where rainwater pools, mosquitoes entering the classroom due to missing screens, and a new air conditioning system that still does not work.
“It’s just not a great place to be, but we’re here every day for the children,” Jagrup said.
Jagrup said Phillipus is angry at the protesting Complex teachers because they stood up to her. She said Phillipus did not want them to participate in the conference.
“It seems like retaliation,” she said.
Nurse said the national AFT representatives have not used their trip to the territory for the conference to visit the schools and talk with teachers about the conditions.
“So, all that we are complaining about, they’re just talking off the top of their head, secondhand,” she said. “They’re not coming and speaking with teachers. They’re not sitting down with teachers, and that’s a problem.”
Bordenave, after initially interrupting the interview between Carter and WTJX, later responded to questions about the protest. He agreed with the teachers when asked about the condition of schools, describing them as “deplorable.” He said it would be necessary to rewire the electrical components in all the schools before any air conditioning systems would properly work. However, he disagreed that the concerns of the teachers have not been heard by the union.
“We have documented every issue on all three islands,” he said.
Bordenave said the union has been working through the years to have school officials address the ongoing concerns raised by teachers.
“We have been fighting the mold, the mildew, the air conditioning,” he said. “We have to ensure that we have a good teaching and learning environment.”
When asked about the Complex teachers not receiving an invitation to register for the conference, Bordenave dismissed their concern.
“Every dues-paying member is invited to come here,” he said. “No one gets a personal invitation.”
Shermira Mercado, a sophomore English teacher at Complex, said the Complex teachers are calling for a special election of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers to bring in new leadership ahead of next summer’s regular election because they are not being represented as desired. She noted they will need to obtain a certain number of signatures to hold a special election.
“We’re hoping for a special election where we can actually vote in people that we feel are going to be respectful to us and respectful to AFT to become the leader that we know we deserve to have,” she said.
