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Sista Yaya Against St. Martin’s Admin.
posted (June 25, 2013)
Since Monday of Last week, activist Yaya Marin-Coleman has been launching a one-woman protest against St. Martin De Porres Primary School.

According to her, she's demonstrating because she can clearly see a major breakdown in communication between the concerned parents of the school and the Administration.

We won't get into her very long list of complaints, because it's extensive, but according to her, she's done all she can to before resorting to put the school on blast.

She explained to us today, that it was her very last resort because she was being ignored:

Yaya-Marin Coleman - Activist
"I chose this school because I have a niece and a nephew that attends this school. In 2011-2012 when I came to drop my niece off to school, the door was locked. I was told from other parents that this is something that happens consistently and that's how I approached the PTA and said that I am willing to work with you to create paper trail and to follow the process, this is the last resort that I wanted. Because I have tried many other things, even going to the Ombudsman office - then I'm thinking school will close and I have failed the students in the academic year 2011-2012, then I have to let the public know some of the concerns are. That's why I chose this school and I'm going to stay at this school because I am confident that if we all work together then we can turn things around. The other schools will be able to do the same thing and the protest will end on Friday at 3;30. Whenever they have classes then I'll be here from 8:00am to 3:300pm and if Friday is the last day of school and they choose to cancel classes early then I won't be here but as long as there are classes, then I'll be here.

What I hope to accomplish? I can honestly say that it has been worth the time that I've been out here, even though I got four shades darker, because of the conversations I've had with people and the questions people have asked - I've listened to people, teachers have stopped and spoken with me and students have spoken with me. My whole point - because this was a choice I made, because people ask for the parents and I say that this is a choice I made as an individual. I was the one who made the choice to approach the Ombudsman office; this is what I was willing to do. So I'm hoping that by bringing awareness to the concerns here that the local manager, principal, general manager, Chief Education officer, the Chief executive officer - that we will all work together and resolve the issues that are here and I'm sure that the issues are at the other schools as well."

We contacted the principal of St. Martin De Porres, who told us that only the branch manager can respond. The branch manager was out of his office today.

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