‘PTA girls’ high situation exaggerated’

The standoff over the racism claims at Pretoria High School for Girls continues on social media with some South Africans accusing the Gauteng Education Department of blowing the situation at school out of proportion.

The backlash comes after the department expressed disappointment over the handling of the case against 12 white learners who were allegedly part of a whites’ only WhatsApp group where disparaging remarks against their black peers were made.

They had been charged with bullying, violence and disruptive behaviour.

The Gauteng education authorities say while they respect the no guilty finding against the learners, who have now returned to school, they will be launching an independent probe into claims of a culture of racism at the school.

#YNews: The Gauteng Education Department has expressed disappointment over the re-instatement of 12 learners accused of racism at a Pretoria girls’ high school.

They were cleared of misconduct after being embroiled in a race storm for allegedly making racist remarks. pic.twitter.com/CyynzTsVlS

— Y (@Yfm) August 2, 2024

After YNews released some contents of the WhatsApp discussion between the learners, many South Africans were left appalled by the education department’s disappointment over the handling of the situation, accusing them of wanting false racism claims to stick.

Some South Africans have dismissed the conversations between the learners as discrimination and not racism.

“We are too quick to say whites are racist, there’s nothing racist here, just girls gossiping or sharing personal stories.”

The School’s Governing Body (SGB) led the hearings against the learners and says the lack of solid evidence from the WhatsApp group contributed to its decision to clear the learners.

Education’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says the GDE remains dedicated to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all learners.

Meanwhile, Civic movement, Save South Africa dismissed the hearing outcomes as ‘nonsensical’.

They are calling for all contents of the WhatsApp conversations to be made public and for reports to be sent separately from all the members of the disciplinary committee.

The organisation’s Tebogo Mashilompane says the decision to clear the learners shows that the concerns raised by black pupils will never find space at the Pretoria High School for Girls.

He says the disciplinary outcome will have a long-lasting psychological impact and further cause animosity between the two races.

“We further say her lack of sensitivity will render black children inferior to white children and it will continue to subject black learners to racial abuse and bullying.”

Only one learner remains suspended so far for posting a video, saying she had forgotten to make white girls bow down.

Pretoria High School for Girls is no stranger to the headlines over racial storms.

In 2016, learners took to the streets to stand up against the schools skewed hair policies.