Learners from Fish Hoek High School receive trauma counselling following ‘diversity session’ on racism and faith presented by DA-controlled Western Cape’s Department of Education

4 November 2022

In an event reminiscent of what happened in Schweizer-Reneke in 2019, learners from Fish Hoek High School were so severely traumatised on Monday by a so-called "diversity session" about racism and faith, which was presented at the school, that many now need psychological counselling.

The compulsory "session" was organised and presented by the DA provincial government's Department of Education.

The DA-government follows the same failed, racially motivated ideology as the ANC, which creates racial polarisation and jeopardises a better future with equal opportunities for all.

A total of 800 learners were compelled to attend the session and had to listen for a full two and a half hours to, among other things, how white people are the only ones who can be racists, while Christianity was also fiercely attacked.

The FF Plus will lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) against the Western Cape Department of Education.

According to parents and information in the FF Plus's possession, three officials accompanied by six psychologists from the Department presented the "session" of two and a half hours. Teachers were told to wait outside.

Learners were prohibited from making any recordings and were told that their phones would be confiscated and wiped if they were caught making any kind of recording. A few learners, however, did.

One can clearly hear on the recordings that some of the statements evoked disapproval from learners

One boy, who was clearly upset, wanted to know why so many black people are implicated in farm murders then. He was told to keep quiet in a derogatory way and was not allowed to say anything else.

One girl was able to leave the hall with the excuse that she urgently needed to use the bathroom. She approached a teacher and told him that the children were being severely traumatised in the school hall.

He accompanied her back and tried to put an end to the session, but was instructed to leave the hall.

According to parents, their children were very confused and upset about the statements, especially because learners of all races get along very well at the school.

The Department apparently decided to present the session after an Afrikaans teacher referred to the "k"-word, which was used for many years to insult black people, during an educational conversation with learners earlier this year.

She was charged by the Western Cape Department, but was found innocent on the charge. The pressure on her was reportedly so great that she had no choice but to resign. It seems that incident was the impetus for the "session".

According to parents, the Department's actions have sown discord where there was love and mutual respect among learners.

Later in the week, parents were even more shocked to learn that the same psychologists who had been present in the hall when the "session" was presented are back at the school to provide "trauma counselling" to the learners.

One mother said that it is an insult that the same people who were involved in causing the trauma are now back to provide counselling, in her opinion, it will merely make matters worse.

The FF Plus sent various questions about the matter to the principal, Mr Steven Joubert.

Apparently, he was not happy to have the session presented, and said that it would disrupt learners, especially during the exams. He was reportedly given no choice.

Mr Joubert referred the FF Plus to Ms Bronagh Hammond, the Western Cape Education Department's director of communications.

Numerous efforts to reach her telephonically on her office number were unsuccessful.

The FF Plus finds it regrettable that children have been so severely impacted by this. This was, just like what transpired in Schweizer-Reneke, unnecessary, thoughtless and the innocent are the ones who bore the brunt.

It seems that the DA learnt nothing from what happened in Schweizer-Reneke.

In addition to the complaint, the FF Plus demands that the DA in the Western Cape must immediately instruct the Department of Education to ensure that the officials involved in the incident keep away from any of the schools in the province.

Issued by Wynand Boshoff, FF Plus MP and chief spokesperson: Basic Education, 4 November 2022