The crisis at Claver College in Punta Gorda seems to have been resolved tonight.
But it comes after the past hour at the school has been crazy. Police showed up at 5:30. That's because a showdown was expected. Here's why. Many thought there had been a breakthrough and that the teachers would be reinstated today. But, the Chairperson Lisel Alamilla wasn't about to re-instate anyone. In fact she decided to lock down the school until the dispute could be mediated.
So at 5:30 - when school was supposed to start - Claver College was locked down. Courtney Weatherburne is in Punta Gorda and she spoke to one frustrated student and the teachers' representative:
Reporter
"So you are here for classes, but it seems you're not going to have any classes. You missed so many classes already."
Myrna Martinez, Student
"Yeah. I mean we are wasting almost 2 weeks of classes and I came ready to go in class today, but it doesn't look like we will have any classes today."
Reporter
"Another day just wasted."
Myrna Martinez, Student
"Yeah, and I am into stay out here and continue do this, because this is a waste of time. I could have been at home with my kids then being out here wasting time."
Reporter
"So you are not in support of this protest?"
Myrna Martinez, Student
"I was supporting them all along, but I think this is a little too much now. I think I had enough of this. I think I want to be in class. Our education comes first."
Vanna Noralez, Teacher Rep.
"The chairperson came out and she sat at the top of the stairs and refusing to open the door, so our students are waiting outside. The board members came in and they invited her to a meeting upstairs, so they can relay to her what was decided upon in yesterday's emergency meeting."
Reporter
"So they are not letting in anybody right now? No students, not even the new teachers and of course you, the teachers who were fired, they are not letting anybody in?"
Vanna Noralez, Teacher Rep.
"Nobody is in at this point. We are hoping we can have the decision come out to us and then we can just go in and resume our classes in a few short minutes."
But, after that many things changed and around 6:15 - the meeting ended; the school was re-opened and the students went in. We heard that the decision was taken to re-instate the teachers, and the Chairperson told us via text that she will resign.
That news is just coming in, and we'll have more later on.
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