The ongoing row over the replacement of music teacher Bim Bademosi raises a number of important questions for the education system.

In general terms, no one would dispute the need for teachers in the school system to be certified to ensure they have the necessary training and ability to teach.

It is for that reason that there is general support for the idea of teacher licensing, and for teachers already in the system to continue to learn and to upgrade their skills.

The problem, as ever, comes when you move from the general principle to specific cases.

Mr. Bademosi clearly has long and broad experience in performing, producing and teaching music. There have been no complaints about the quality of his teaching; to the contrary, the students and parents feel so strongly about Mr. Bademosi remaining that they recently presented a petition to the Cabinet Office.

In Mr. Bademosi's case, there also seems to be some disagreement between the Bermuda Union of Teachers and the Ministry about just how much time he should have had to pursue his certificate and whether he was fully informed of the need for it when he previously pursued a Master's degree in Music.

Leaving those issues aside, the problem here is whether it is sensible, when you have a seemingly excellent and popular teacher who, and it is not irrelevant in this context, is a black Bermudian male, to dogmatically follow "the letter of the law" and force the teacher out.

The Ministry may be within its rights to let Mr. Bademosi go. But no sensible person would question the Ministry's judgment if it took a second look at the decision to see if it there was a way to give Mr. Bademosi another chance.