the school's vacant principal's post was rejected, may stage a sit-in at the school.

But The Royal Gazette understands that the students are being encouraged to speak to their parents before they act.

And another group, the Association of School Principals (ASP), is seeking legal advice because it is dissatisfied with the reasons the Permanent Secretary gave for not placing Mr. Warren Jones on the short list. ASP president Mr. Allan Leigh also said his association would be putting its case before the Governor, Lord Waddington, in a bid to gain further support for Mr.

Jones.

On Friday teachers at the school defied Government rules which prohibit all civil servants from speaking to the media.

They held a press conference in the school gymnasium, where they voiced their dismay that current acting principal Mr. Warren Jones was not even short-listed for any of the vacant principal's jobs.

And yesterday, they sent a letter to the Education Minister asking him to overrule the selection committee's decision not to consider Mr. Jones' application.

However the Minister, the Hon. Dr. Clarence Terceira, repeated his position that the Public Services Act did not allow him to get involved.

"I have asked the permanent secretary to write a letter to explain the selection process to them,'' he said.

"And I hope this will help them to understand why I cannot get involved in matters concerning the Public Service Commission.

"They (PSC) are not under any obligation to accept any of the suggestions that are put before them.'' The Minister said he did not know whether any action would be taken against the teachers for breaching regulations concerning speaking to the media.

He said any decision was up to Cabinet Secretary Mr. Leo Mills.

In their two-paged letter, teachers said the decision to overlook Mr. Jones "is a most blatant injustice (which) if allowed to pass, would make a nonsense of the ideals of the education system and hypocrites of those who espouse them.'' The letter points out that Chief Education Officer Mr. Dean Furbert presented Mr. Jones to the school "as a man of impeccable qualifications, who had exactly the right training and skills to run Northlands.'' Though at the time it was also explained that he lacked experience in a senior position.

But now with three years behind him, teachers want to know why Mr. Jones was not even good enough to get an interview.

Under his leadership, teachers said the school flourished because he "sets a very high standard for himself in everything he does, as principal, as counsellor, as guide, as community member, as family man, as friend.

"...what counts for even more than that is the example (he) sets to the potential drop-outs in our schools' system, that young black men can turn their lives around and, through determination, not only reach their goals but also make the community a better place to belong to.''