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| South Africa teacher suspended over class 'split by race' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A teacher in South Africa has been suspended "with immediate effect" after a photo emerged of her pupils sitting in racially separate groups. | A teacher in South Africa has been suspended "with immediate effect" after a photo emerged of her pupils sitting in racially separate groups. |
| A black parent told the TimesLive news site that she thought her child's first day at school had got off to a good start until she saw the image. | A black parent told the TimesLive news site that she thought her child's first day at school had got off to a good start until she saw the image. |
| "This was meant to be an exciting day for me, but it's not," she said. | "This was meant to be an exciting day for me, but it's not," she said. |
| Local authorities say they "highly condemn" the incident and have removed the teacher "pending investigation". | Local authorities say they "highly condemn" the incident and have removed the teacher "pending investigation". |
| Sello Lehare, the education minister for the North West province, said the school's explanation was that "the learners were separated according to those who could understand Afrikaans and English". | Sello Lehare, the education minister for the North West province, said the school's explanation was that "the learners were separated according to those who could understand Afrikaans and English". |
| He added: "We are suspending her [the teacher] because we want the investigation to be fair and free". | He added: "We are suspending her [the teacher] because we want the investigation to be fair and free". |
| Racism is still deeply embedded in South Africa nearly 25 years after white-minority rule ended. Language policy has historically been used to exclude black learners. | Racism is still deeply embedded in South Africa nearly 25 years after white-minority rule ended. Language policy has historically been used to exclude black learners. |
| What happened at the school? | What happened at the school? |
| Parents had dropped their children off on Wednesday morning for their first day of school at Schweizer-Reneke primary school. | Parents had dropped their children off on Wednesday morning for their first day of school at Schweizer-Reneke primary school. |
| Apparently to reassure parents that all was going well, the class teacher reportedly shared a photograph of the children to the school's private WhatsApp group. | Apparently to reassure parents that all was going well, the class teacher reportedly shared a photograph of the children to the school's private WhatsApp group. |
| People then pointed out that the children were sitting separately according to race - the white children at a table in the centre of the room, and the few black children at a table in the corner. | People then pointed out that the children were sitting separately according to race - the white children at a table in the centre of the room, and the few black children at a table in the corner. |
| The image began circulating on social media. | The image began circulating on social media. |
| When parents then complained to the school, according to TimesLive, they were sent a different picture after the children's break showing that they had been "moved to different seating spaces to ensure they were not separated according to race". | When parents then complained to the school, according to TimesLive, they were sent a different picture after the children's break showing that they had been "moved to different seating spaces to ensure they were not separated according to race". |
| What has the response been? | What has the response been? |
| Protesters gathered at the school on Thursday morning, many of whom are supporters of South Africa's opposition EFF party according to local media. | Protesters gathered at the school on Thursday morning, many of whom are supporters of South Africa's opposition EFF party according to local media. |
| Some white parents have removed their children from the school because they fear for their safety. | Some white parents have removed their children from the school because they fear for their safety. |
| Provincial education minister Sello Lehare was despatched to the school in the small town of Schweizer-Reneke on a fact-finding mission, the BBC's Milton Nkosi says. | Provincial education minister Sello Lehare was despatched to the school in the small town of Schweizer-Reneke on a fact-finding mission, the BBC's Milton Nkosi says. |
| After meeting school staff and education department officials, Mr Lehare confirmed that the form teacher in question had been suspended. | After meeting school staff and education department officials, Mr Lehare confirmed that the form teacher in question had been suspended. |
| "As government, we would like to condemn any form of racism, alleged or not, and we deeply regret this unfortunate incident taking place in our country 25 years into democracy," said a spokesperson for the local government leader, Job Lekgoro. | "As government, we would like to condemn any form of racism, alleged or not, and we deeply regret this unfortunate incident taking place in our country 25 years into democracy," said a spokesperson for the local government leader, Job Lekgoro. |
| Prof Jonathan Jansen, an expert in education policy and one of South Africa's most prominent black academics, expressed his disgust on Twitter: | Prof Jonathan Jansen, an expert in education policy and one of South Africa's most prominent black academics, expressed his disgust on Twitter: |