The beleaguered principal of CedarBridge Academy last night (Tues) hit out at claims that she removed her daughter from a classroom suspected of harbouring potentially harmful mould but allowed others to work there.

Kalmar Richards issued a statement in response to a Government-commissioned, independent report which revealed that many teachers made the allegation about her and accused her and her senior management team of ignoring the mould infestation.

Mrs. Richards, principle at the Island’s largest public school since 1999, described herself as “deeply disappointed” with the outcome of the probe into the crisis which led to the school’s temporary closure last November.

She said the report — penned by overseas environment expert Kamoji Wachiira and a two-man team — was “muddled with inaccuracies and contradictions”.

“While I understand that information gathered was given primarily on a voluntary basis, I believe that more could have been done to verify some of the statements included in the report,” she said.

“The most disturbing for me was one which implied that I gave my child preferential treatment. The report makes it appear as if she was moved out a suspected ‘sick’ room, while in fact, her entire class was reassigned to another teacher due to the long term absence of her original instructor.”

Dr. Wachiira’s panel described the claim about Mrs. Richards as disturbing and said her action, along with substitute teachers being assigned to rooms declared suspect, had undermined teachers’ trust.

But Mrs. Richards insisted her daughter’s class was only given to another teacher when the original tutor was off sick for several weeks to ensure students’ studies did not suffer.

She said the GCSE class — which was preparing for advanced exams as part of a two-year programme - was relocated before the sick teacher connected her illness to mould or indoor air quality issues.

The sick teacher’s other five classes remained in the original classroom and were taught by substitute teachers until they were eventually moved when health concerns were raised.

“The climate at CedarBridge Academy changed as heightened concerns were expressed regarding the indoor air quality,” said Mrs. Richards.

“It soon became procedure that if teachers felt they were experiencing classroom-related illnesses, their rooms were immediately closed and they were relocated. This eventually became the case with the aforementioned classroom.”

The principle stressed that neither she nor her deputy principle Anthony Wade were responsible for the maintenance of the physical plant.

“This rests solely on the CedarBridge Academy board of governors,” she said. “Our mandate is instructional leadership and supervision of staff and students.” She said Mr. Wade liased with former facilities manager Ross Smith but did not supervise him or his staff.

Teachers are today calling for Mrs. Richards to resign for allegedly failing to take their health fears and the mould infestation seriously (see inside story).

But she insisted last night that she had always been committed to the safety and wellbeing of everyone in the building, as well as the academic success of students.

“I have taken seriously any reports which I have received regarding the health of my staff,” she said. “I have always extended an open door policy to the entire CedarBridge Academy family. Every decision affecting the school is collaborative. Everyone has a voice.

“Let me close by saying that I willingly participated in the enquiry and was forthright in giving all necessary information. However, I am deeply disappointed that I did not have the opportunity to set the record straight.”

Education Minister Randy Horton said in the House of Assembly on Friday he was satisfied that the work done by the Wachiira panel was “both thorough and accurate”.

He said recommendations that governance structures and communications channels be improved were “of significant interest” and noted the panel’s point that higher levels of accountability were needed.