with parents of a Pembroke school upset that a dispute there is affecting their children.

The dispute involves a number of teachers at the Victor Scott Primary School believed to be unhappy with the administrative style of principal Esme Trott.

Yesterday Mr. Scott expressed concern that some teachers at the school were taking unofficial industrial action by regularly phoning in sick.

"All of the sick leaves have been documented and there are some concerns about abuses -- one teacher is no longer with the service.'' he said.

Exacerbating the suspected informal sick-out is the fact that many of the school's staff have become genuinely ill from flu, forcing the ministry to call in substitutes.

"I'm asking the CEO to meet with the PTA and listen to their concerns and help alleviate their anxieties and reassure them,'' Mr. Scott said. "I have been aware that Victor Scott School has been facing some challenges.

"Some teachers have filed a grievance against the principal.

School row "But I'm confident they can be resolved as set out in the collective bargaining agreement.' ' Parent Andrea Pitcher said this weekend: "Our main concern is our children's education. Parents are frustrated by the disruption. We are definitely seeing changes in our children.

"We are definitely worried that our children are not getting the education they should get. I am glad that teacher has resigned.'' She said the final straw was seeing the teacher working as a bartender at the M.R. Onions Restaurant earlier this month, when he was supposed to be on sick leave.

"The substitute teacher, a wonderful teacher, produced report cards based only on her time with them from late November because he hadn't done anything,'' she added.