The Ministry of Education's new permanent secretary is urging the Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) to halt a work to rule at two schools.

Rosemary Tyrell, who took up her post at the start of this year, told that the Ministry was "dismayed by the action taken by the leadership" of the union with regard to separate disputes at Spice Valley Middle School and CedarBridge Academy.

She said: "We would like to urge the Bermuda Union of Teachers to cease this disruption of the Bermuda public school system so we can all get back to the very important business of educating our children."

But Michael Charles, the BUT's general secretary, said teachers at CedarBridge would only call off the action ? which means they do classroom work but nothing outside school hours ? when they were given more respect from the Ministry.

The Government's Labour Relations Officer has been brought in to mediate in the dispute involving Spice Valley.

It stems from an incident earlier this year when principal Dawnelle Walker asked staff to carry out certain duties on an administration day in the mid-term break.

Staff objected to the instructions and held what Ms Tyrell dubbed "an unlawful meeting with union leadership".

Formal warning letters from the Chief Education Officer, Dr. Joseph Christopher, were placed on the files of the teachers attending the meeting.

Ms Tyrell said the letters had been removed from the files pending an appeal by the BUT to the Labour Relations Officer.

She said: "The school principal had sought guidance from the Bermuda Union of Teachers with respect to the duties that she wished her staff to carry out. She acted in accordance with that guidance.

"The Ministry fully supports the principal and staff of Spice Valley Middle School.

"We note that there has been no noticeable impact of the work to rule action at Spice Valley Middle School and would like to thank the staff for ensuring that the needs of our students come first."

Mr. Charles said: "We held a meeting with the teachers one morning for about an hour.

"At that time there were no students at the school but the Ministry decided to discipline them."

He said the meeting was held because teachers were displeased at a directive from the principal which "went against their professionalism".

"The teachers were prepared to sit down until somebody came to talk to them. She (the principal) wasn't prepared to."

He added: "It's in the hands of the Labour Relations Officer and we are waiting to have some discussion.

"We have an issue with the letters that were written to the teachers.

"We would like them removed from the teachers' files because we don't think they are supposed to be there and the Ministry thinks they should be there. There's an impasse."

Ms Walker declined to comment on the situation.

The work to rule by teachers at CedarBridge began after a 14-year-old boy suspended for making vulgar comments was allowed to return to the classroom pending an appeal by his parents. Teachers called a halt to lessons and all students were sent home on March 24. Principal Kalmar Richards later sent letters reprimanding staff for their action.

Mr. Charles said the work to rule was not prompted by the letters but by the Ministry's attitude to teachers.

He said: "On the day they had the problem at CedarBridge the Ministry just refused to come and talk to them.

"You can't expect teachers to teach and do the work that's expected of them when the employer doesn't back them up or show that they care what's happening with them.

"The Permanent Secretary did come and talk and there were a number of things that the teachers brought to their attention, the kind of things they have to endure.

"We are not going to go into it all. Teachers endure them every day and they would just like to have the respect and at least some empathy shown to them."

He added: "A work to rule is simply they are doing what they are paid to do.

"That could go on forever. They hope that eventually the Ministry will begin to treat them with the respect they deserve."

A CedarBridge teacher ? who asked not to be named ? said: "The Ministry doesn't really respect students and it doesn't really respect teachers.

"They barely acknowledge what we have to deal with."

Ms Tyrell said: "The Ministry is confident that correct procedures were followed in both instances and the union was fully involved in representing the rights of their members."

The appeal against suspension by the CedarBridge student ? who suggested another pupil tell a teacher to "suck your balls" ? was successful.

Mrs. Richards could not be contacted for comment.