Dear Editor,

The concerns being raised regarding Methodist Agogic Center, also known as MAC School, have now reached a level where many parents and community members believe urgent national attention and an independent review are required.

This appeal is not intended to create division or attack educators. It is a call for accountability, transparency, professionalism, fairness, and stronger protection for the children of St. Maarten.

Parents, students, and concerned citizens are increasingly expressing concern about what they describe as a school environment that is failing to adequately support, protect, motivate, and uplift students academically, emotionally, socially, and physically.

This matter extends far beyond academics. It concerns the emotional well-being, dignity, safety, equality, health, and future development of children in St. Maarten.

Financial Pressure, Paid Afternoon Classes, and Educational Inequality

One of the most serious concerns involves the growing dependence on paid afternoon classes connected to teachers. Many parents report that some teachers are personally running afternoon classes and charging up to $350 per child per month. For many working-class families, this creates serious financial pressure, especially when parents are already struggling with the high cost of living.

Parents are already burdened by expenses for groceries, transportation, internet, utilities, rent, school supplies, and other necessities. Many families are silently suffering as they try to ensure their children receive the academic support they need.

There is a growing perception among parents that children whose families cannot afford these private afternoon classes are being placed at a serious academic disadvantage. Some parents fear that if their child does not attend these paid classes, the same subject taught by that teacher during regular school hours becomes more difficult, the child receives less support, or the child’s grades begin to decline.

This creates a serious conflict of interest. When the same teacher teaches a child during the school day and then charges privately after school for extra lessons in the same subject, parents may feel they have no real choice but to pay. Some parents believe that if they do not register their child for these private classes, the failing subject becomes worse and the child may eventually fail.

Even if these afternoon classes are described as separate from the official school program, the concern remains serious. Parents are asking whether these programs are properly registered, monitored, and regulated. They are also asking whether the income collected from these private classes is being properly declared and whether the Government of St. Maarten is receiving any taxes that may be legally required.

If large amounts of money are being collected monthly from parents, there must be financial transparency. This issue raises concerns about ethics, accountability, possible tax evasion, conflict of interest, and possible abuse of position.

Parents are asking an important question: Why are parents being forced to carry the burden of additional teaching costs when teachers are already being paid salaries to educate students during normal school hours?

This has created major concerns regarding fairness, equality, transparency, and public trust within the educational system.

Students With Learning Difficulties and Large Class Sizes

Parents are also deeply concerned about children with learning difficulties, learning disabilities, slower academic development, attention challenges, or emotional challenges.

Many parents feel that these students are not receiving enough support, patience, intervention, or academic assistance during the regular school day. Instead, parents often feel pressured to pay for additional afternoon classes in order for their children to keep up academically.

Families are asking: What happens to children whose parents genuinely cannot afford these additional programs?

No child should be academically disadvantaged because of his or her family’s financial situation.

Another serious concern is the size of classrooms. Many classrooms are far too large, especially for children who require additional attention or special educational support. In overcrowded classrooms, these students are often unable to function properly or receive the individual attention they need.

Children with learning challenges can easily be left behind academically, emotionally, and socially when proper support systems are not in place. Every child deserves a fair opportunity to learn in an environment where his or her needs can be recognized and supported.

Excessive Homework and Pressure on Families

Another growing concern is the amount of work being placed on students and parents after school hours.

Many parents report that children are being sent home with overwhelming amounts of homework, placing serious pressure on households. This burden becomes even more difficult for single parents, working parents, parents with limited educational backgrounds, or families managing multiple children.

Parents are asking: What happens when a parent is unable to help his or her child academically at home?

Children should not be punished, embarrassed, or academically neglected because their parents cannot function as after-school teachers.

Parents should support learning, but they should not be expected to replace proper teaching, classroom structure, or school accountability. The role of the school is to teach, guide, support, and intervene where necessary. Parents should be partners in education, not substitutes for proper classroom instruction.

Grading, Academic Communication, and Last-Minute Notifications

Serious concerns are also being raised regarding grading practices and communication with parents.

Many parents report being informed at the last minute about their child’s academic standing, failing status, or promotion concerns. Families are often left with little or no reasonable time to intervene, seek help, or support their children before critical academic decisions are finalized.

Parents believe this reflects a lack of professionalism, communication, and transparency within the educational process.

Schools should not wait until the final stage to inform parents that a child is failing, falling behind, or at risk of repeating. Academic concerns should be communicated early, clearly, and consistently so that parents and students have a fair opportunity to respond.

Emotional Treatment of Students and Fear Within the School Environment

Equally troubling are the growing complaints regarding the emotional treatment of students by certain educators.

Parents and students have reported concerns involving name-calling, humiliation, verbal put-downs, intimidation, emotional abuse, public embarrassment, favoritism, and unprofessional behavior toward students.

Instead of feeling encouraged, motivated, and supported, some students reportedly feel emotionally discouraged, targeted, humiliated, and mentally distressed by the very individuals entrusted with their development.

Some students reportedly no longer feel comfortable attending school because they fear being targeted for asking questions or requesting help. Parents also report that many children are afraid to come forward and speak the truth about incidents occurring within the school environment because they fear punishment, retaliation, embarrassment, or being treated differently afterward.

This type of fear creates a dangerous culture of silence and emotional insecurity. The constant emotional pressure placed on students can have lasting psychological effects and contributes to an unhealthy learning environment.

Bullying, Adult Supervision, and Disciplinary Accountability

Bullying in the presence of adult supervision is completely unacceptable. When an adult is assigned to supervise students, that adult has a responsibility to monitor behavior, intervene immediately, and ensure that all children are protected from physical, verbal, emotional, or online bullying.

Any incident of bullying that occurs under adult supervision should not be dismissed as “child’s play” or treated as a minor misunderstanding. Proper disciplinary action should be taken in accordance with the school’s rule book and established disciplinary procedures.

If the current school rule book does not clearly address bullying, cyberbullying, supervision failures, student safety, respect, and accountability, then the rule book should be reviewed and updated. It must clearly reflect the importance of respect for every student, teacher, staff member, and parent within the school community.

Physical bullying and online bullying are growing concerns. If these matters continue to be overlooked or minimized, the consequences could become far more serious. Schools should not wait until a child is seriously injured, traumatized, or worse before taking firm and responsible action.

Bathroom Sanitation, Health, and Student Dignity

Another serious concern involves the reported deplorable condition of the school bathrooms. Reports indicate that students have written vulgar language on the walls, urinated on the floor, defecated on the floor, and in some cases smeared feces on the walls. These conditions are unsanitary, unsafe, and completely unacceptable in any educational institution.

As a result, some students reportedly refuse to use the school bathrooms and attempt to hold themselves until they return home. In some cases, children have allegedly soiled themselves because they could no longer wait. This is not only embarrassing for the child, but also emotionally harmful and damaging to the child’s dignity.

There are also serious concerns that some teachers allegedly prevent students from using the bathroom as a form of discipline. This practice should be strongly condemned. Access to a clean, safe, and private bathroom is a basic human need, not a privilege to be removed as punishment.

The Ministry of Education and school leadership must urgently investigate the bathroom conditions, sanitation procedures, supervision, and disciplinary practices related to bathroom use. Every child deserves access to clean, safe, private, and properly maintained bathroom facilities during the school day.

Child Protection and Safeguarding Concerns

Child protection and safeguarding must remain a top priority in every school environment.

The people of St. Maarten have not forgotten previous incidents within the educational system involving educators and authority figures who were accused, investigated, arrested, or associated with inappropriate relationships involving students. These incidents deeply shocked the community and damaged public trust in the education system.

Today, many parents are questioning why afternoon school programs are not subjected to stricter monitoring, safeguarding protocols, supervision standards, and independent oversight, especially when these programs involve prolonged interaction between adults and minors outside normal school hours.

Parents fear that insufficient supervision and weak accountability may create environments where misconduct, intimidation, favoritism, exploitation, or inappropriate relationships could occur without proper detection or prevention.

Transportation and Student Safety Concerns

Student safety is another major concern being raised by parents.

Reports have surfaced alleging that children are sometimes transported in overcrowded vehicles, with excessive numbers of students packed into a single vehicle under unsafe conditions.

Parents fear that this dangerous level of overcrowding could easily result in tragedy if an accident were to occur.

Stronger transportation safety regulations and enforcement measures must be applied to any school-related or after-school program involving minors.

Leadership, Accountability, and Public Confidence

There are also growing concerns regarding school leadership, accountability, and administrative oversight.

Many parents believe that discipline, professionalism, teacher accountability, and student protection are not being adequately enforced. Concerns have also been raised regarding whether the current administration is effectively managing teacher conduct, enforcing standards, addressing complaints fairly, and restoring confidence among parents and students.

When complaints are not properly addressed, it creates frustration, fear, and a loss of confidence in the school system. Strong leadership requires clear communication, fair investigation, consistent discipline, and accountability for both students and adults who fail in their responsibilities.

Our organization has received many complaints from parents connected to MAC School. These complaints reflect growing concern that discipline, supervision, communication, sanitation, student protection, and academic fairness are not being handled with the seriousness they deserve.

Call for Immediate Independent Review

Parents and concerned citizens are respectfully calling upon the Minister of Education and relevant authorities to launch an immediate and independent review into the following matters:

The regulation and legality of private teacher-operated afternoon classes; financial transparency and possible tax compliance concerns; teacher attendance and professionalism during normal school hours; educational equality and fairness for financially disadvantaged students; support systems for students with learning difficulties or disabilities; homework practices and parental academic burdens; grading transparency and parent communication procedures; teacher conduct and allegations of emotional abuse; bullying, cyberbullying, and disciplinary procedures; bathroom sanitation and student dignity; access to bathroom facilities during the school day; child protection and safeguarding protocols involving minors; transportation safety and overcrowding concerns; and administrative accountability and leadership oversight within the school.

Recommendations to the Ministry of Education

In light of the concerns being raised by parents, students, and members of the community, we respectfully recommend that the Ministry of Education take immediate action to protect students, restore public confidence, and strengthen accountability within MAC School and the wider education system.

First, the Ministry should appoint an independent review team to investigate the complaints being raised by parents and students. This review should examine student safety, teacher conduct, supervision, bullying, communication with parents, grading practices, private afternoon programs, bathroom sanitation, transportation safety, and the overall learning environment.

Second, the Ministry should require the school to review its disciplinary policy and rule book. Bullying, cyberbullying, physical intimidation, verbal abuse, harassment, and supervision failures must be clearly addressed with firm consequences. Adults assigned to supervise students must also be held accountable when they fail to intervene, document, or report incidents properly.

Third, the Ministry should ensure that all school-related programs involving children are properly supervised, registered, and monitored. This includes regular school hours, after-school classes, transportation arrangements, and any private educational programs connected to teachers or school staff.

Fourth, the Ministry should review and regulate paid afternoon classes operated by teachers. There should be clear rules regarding registration, pricing, teacher involvement, tax compliance, conflict of interest, student safety, and academic fairness.

Fifth, the Ministry should work with the relevant tax authorities to determine whether income collected from private teacher-operated afternoon classes is being properly reported. If teachers are charging monthly fees from multiple students, there must be accountability to ensure that all legal financial obligations are being met.

Sixth, the Ministry should establish clear conflict-of-interest rules preventing teachers from using their regular classroom position to pressure parents into paying for private lessons. No parent should feel that a child’s success, grades, or treatment depends on whether they can afford to pay the same teacher privately after school.

Seventh, the Ministry should require schools to provide proper academic intervention during normal school hours, especially for students who are struggling. Support should be based on student need, not on a parent’s ability to pay.

Eighth, the Ministry should urgently review class sizes, especially in classrooms with students who have learning difficulties, attention challenges, emotional challenges, or special educational needs. Larger classes should be supported with trained teacher assistants or learning support officers.

Ninth, the Ministry should require schools to communicate academic concerns to parents early and clearly. There should be strict deadlines for entering grades, notifying parents, and providing intervention plans before final promotion decisions are made.

Tenth, the Ministry should review homework practices to ensure that excessive schoolwork is not being pushed onto parents at home. The main responsibility for teaching must remain within the classroom during official school hours.

Eleventh, the Ministry should reinforce professional standards for all educators. Name-calling, humiliation, intimidation, favoritism, verbal put-downs, and emotional mistreatment should not be tolerated in any classroom.

Twelfth, the Ministry should create or strengthen a confidential complaint system where parents and students can report concerns without fear of victimization. Complaints should be documented, investigated, and followed up within a reasonable timeframe.

Thirteenth, the Ministry should urgently inspect bathroom facilities at MAC School and establish clear minimum standards for cleanliness, maintenance, privacy, and student access. Bathroom access should never be used as a disciplinary measure.

Fourteenth, the Ministry should conduct regular audits of school operations, including discipline records, attendance patterns, grading timelines, classroom support systems, after-school programs, transportation safety, financial transparency, bathroom sanitation, and child protection procedures.

These actions are necessary to identify problems early, protect students, and restore confidence in the education system.

Final Appeal

The people of St. Maarten are not asking for conflict or division. They are asking for transparency, accountability, professionalism, fairness, stronger student protection, equal educational opportunity, proper sanitation, and respectful treatment of children.

No child should feel unsafe, emotionally humiliated, financially disadvantaged, academically neglected, pressured into paid programs, denied bathroom access, or afraid to ask for help within an educational environment.

The future of St. Maarten depends on the integrity, quality, professionalism, cleanliness, safety, and accountability of its schools.

The concerns being raised by parents deserve immediate, independent, and professional attention before confidence in the educational system is damaged even further.

Respectfully,

 Parents and Residents of St. Maarten

Dear Editor,
A recent editorial provided a timely reminder of the mutual responsibilities employers and employees share to maintain respectful, lawful, and professional relationships under the laws of St. Maarten. Unfortunately, the current reality for some educators on the island paints a drastically different picture. The ongoing pension situation affecting the faculty and staff at the Charlotte Brookson Academy for the Performing Arts (CBA) is a grave injustice and a profound disservice to the professionals shaping the future generation of our country.
While local labor laws clearly mandate that employees must be registered in the national pension fund to secure their retirement, this statutory obligation has apparently been ignored by CBA. To date, not a single employee at CBA has been properly inducted into the Algemeen Pensioenfonds Sint Maarten (APS).
For over seven years, faculty and staff have consistently requested answers from the school's Board of Directors regarding pension contributions, financial management, and our status at APS. As far back as 2019, these concerns were raised in staff meetings, meetings with the CBA Board, employee evaluations and even through written communication from the Windward Island Teachers’ Union (WITU). Yet, clear and satisfactory responses from the relevant authorities have remained entirely elusive.
Even more alarming is that for the past two years, the CBA Board has actively withheld the employee portion of the pension payments directly from our salaries. However, these funds have never actually been remitted to APS. This leads one to assume that hard-working employees are not only being denied their rightful retirement security but also having their earned wages deducted under false pretenses.
In our most recent attempt to gain clarity, a formal letter signed by 16 members of staff dated May 25, 2026, was sent to the CBA Board requesting:
1.
A complete breakdown of all pension deductions withheld from our (the undersigned) salaries from the commencement of these deductions to the present date.
2.
Written confirmation that the withheld funds remain unused and are currently available in the school’s account.
3.
Written confirmation that the Board’s required matching contributions are being withheld.
4.
We have been informed that the pension fund administrator, APS, has requested an initial lump-sum payment as a prerequisite for official registration in the plan; however, this request has not been met. We would like to know the exact amount requested by APS, the date this request was made, and the specific reasons the CBA Board did not meet this financial obligation.
The Board was given a reasonable timeframe to provide the requested information. On June 03, 2026, the deadline, the President of the Board, Mrs. May-Ling Chun-Derby, sent a brief note stating: “Please know that our lawyer is handling the subject matter, and a reply letter will be sent to everyone.”
Deferring to legal counsel is yet another stalling tactic. The CBA Board must provide absolute financial transparency and immediately account for the withheld funds that belong to staff. These are not mere administrative nuances; they are fundamental employee rights protected under Sint Maarten's labor framework. Workers have a legal and moral right to know that deductions made from their hard-earned salaries are properly managed and secure. This ongoing uncertainty creates severe anxiety, mistrust, and financial hardship for the employees involved.
The issue extends beyond Charlotte Brookson Academy, as Sint Maarten has repeatedly faced national conversations about governance, accountability, and public trust. At a time when citizens demand greater transparency from public bodies and organizations that receive public support, educational institutions should lead by example rather than become subjects of controversy.
The employees of CBA are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for our voices to be heard. We are asking for accountability and respect. We are making an open plea to those entrusted with governance to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities to employees and students alike.
To suggest that the staff has not been “sounding the alarm” ignores nearly a decade of documented efforts by staff and WITU representatives. The employees of CBA have demonstrated unimaginable patience. We have continued our diligent work despite the cloud of uncertainty hanging over our futures. However, our patience should not be mistaken for acceptance, nor should professionalism be mistaken for weakness.
We are urgently appealing to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS), the Minister of Labor, the wider Government of Sint Maarten, and any member of the public or legal authority who can offer valuable assistance. When public funds and employees’ hard-earned salaries cannot be properly accounted for, it ceases to be a private dispute and becomes a matter of public integrity and governance. To our community and our leaders, please do not allow those who dedicate their lives to educating Sint Maarten’s children to be exploited and ignored any longer.
The time for excuses has passed. The time for transparency, accountability, and independent verification is now.
Sincerely,
The Affected Members of Staff of Charlotte Brookson Academy for the Performing Arts

PHILIPSBURG:---  Jean Illidge wishes to express his profound disappointment regarding Parliament's decision to pass a vote of no confidence against Minister Richinel Brug of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA).
As a young ambulance professional who works on the front lines of healthcare every day, I have witnessed firsthand the commitment, accessibility, and dedication Minister Brug has demonstrated toward improving healthcare services in St. Maarten. Throughout his tenure, Minister Brug has consistently engaged with healthcare stakeholders, listened to the concerns of healthcare workers, and actively sought solutions to longstanding issues affecting our sector.
For the first time in the history of the Ambulance Department, there has been such a close and constructive working relationship between the department and the Minister responsible for healthcare. Many grievances that had remained unresolved for years were finally receiving serious attention. Through open dialogue, mutual respect, and a genuine willingness to collaborate, Minister Brug helped create an environment where healthcare workers felt heard, valued, and included in discussions concerning the future of healthcare in St. Maarten.
The vote of no confidence is therefore not only disappointing from a personal perspective but also from a healthcare perspective. It came at a time when meaningful progress was being made, and many healthcare professionals believed that positive change was finally taking shape.
Minister Brug has shown leadership through action. He has demonstrated a willingness to tackle difficult issues, engage directly with healthcare workers, and advocate for improvements within the healthcare system. His efforts have provided hope to many professionals who have dedicated their careers to serving the people of St. Maarten.
The decision by Parliament raises serious concerns about the continuity of important healthcare initiatives and reforms that were underway. It also sends an unsettling message to the many St. Maarten students studying abroad in medicine, nursing, emergency medical care, and other healthcare professions.
Many of these students dream of returning home to contribute to the development of our country. They want to serve their communities, strengthen our healthcare system, and help address critical staffing shortages. However, political instability and uncertainty can discourage talented young professionals from returning. They seek assurance that there is a clear vision for healthcare, stable leadership, and a government committed to supporting the medical sector.
At a time when St. Maarten should be actively attracting healthcare professionals back to the island, uncertainty regarding healthcare policy and leadership may create hesitation among those considering a return.
The people of St. Maarten deserve a healthcare system that continues to move forward without interruption. The Ambulance Department fears that prolonged instability could lead to delays in critical decisions, stalled initiatives, and growing frustration among healthcare professionals and the public alike.
Healthcare is not a political game. Every decision made at the highest levels of government has a direct impact on patients, families, healthcare workers, and future generations. While political leaders may come and go, the healthcare needs of our people remain constant.
Today, we recognize and commend Minister Brug for his service, dedication, and willingness to work alongside healthcare professionals. We thank him for fostering a level of cooperation and engagement that many of us had not previously experienced.
We sincerely hope that whatever path lies ahead, the progress achieved under his leadership will not be lost and that the interests of the people of St. Maarten will remain the highest priority.
I, Jean Ilidge, together with the St. Maarten Ambulance, remain committed to serving the people of St. Maarten and advocating for a healthcare system that is stable, progressive, and capable of meeting the needs of all residents.
Jean Illidge. RN, BLSI, ACLS, PHTLS.

Dear Editor,

For many citizens, it was a day that reinforced the belief that the coalition's interests were placed above those of the country and its people. At a time when leadership, accountability, and service to the public should be the guiding principles of government, political considerations appeared to take precedence over what was best for Sint Maarten.

Amid these developments, Minister of VSA, Richinel Brug, remained focused on the responsibilities entrusted to him by the people. Throughout his tenure, he demonstrated a commitment to carrying out his duties with diligence, integrity, and genuine concern for the community's well-being. His efforts reflected an understanding that public office is a responsibility to serve the people, not political interests.

Regardless of differing political views, many recognized Minister Brug's dedication to addressing the population's needs and working toward meaningful solutions to the challenges facing Sint Maarten. His actions underscored the importance of putting the country first and ensuring that the people's interests remain at the center of decision-making.

As history records the events of May 29, 2026, it will also record those who chose to stand firm in their commitment to public service. The people of Sint Maarten deserve leadership that prioritizes the nation above political alliances, personal agendas, and coalition dynamics.

The lesson from this day is clear: governments come and go, coalitions rise and fall, but the responsibility to serve the people of Sint Maarten must always remain paramount. Country above coalition. People above politics.

Marcus Pantophlet