Classes Disrupted at St James High Amid Ongoing Feud Between Principal and Board Chairman

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA – Classes at St James High School were brought to a halt on Monday following a heated confrontation between Principal Joseph Williams and School Board Chairman Christopher McCurdy, marking the latest escalation in a long-running dispute between the two.

The school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) sent out a closure notice to parents, stating that it “cannot ensure a conducive learning environment until these grievances are fully addressed.” It remains unclear when normal school operations will resume.

Both Williams and McCurdy have provided conflicting accounts of what transpired on campus.

Williams claims McCurdy disrupted a scheduled staff meeting, refused to leave when asked, and later confronted him in an aggressive and threatening manner. According to Williams, the altercation caused an uproar among students and staff, leading to police being called in.

“We were having a staff meeting this morning, and he came and disrupted it… He refused to leave. I had to call off the meeting, and then he threatened me, pointing in my face in a threatening manner. It was quite upsetting. Even the students were up in arms, saying that he needs to go,” Williams told the Jamaica Observer.

McCurdy, however, has a different version of events. He alleges that Williams was the aggressor, claiming the principal threatened to hit him with a bottle and that some staff members also issued threats against him.

Tensions between the two have reportedly been brewing for years, but McCurdy said matters worsened in February after it was confirmed that he would remain chairman of the school board. He also alleged that placards had been placed at the school gate as part of ongoing opposition to his leadership.

Following the incident, teachers initially refused to return to work but resumed their duties later in the day after Williams appealed to them. Second-shift classes ended at the usual 5:30 p.m.

However, it remains unclear when the school will fully reopen. The PTA has promised to keep parents updated, while Williams is hopeful that classes will resume today (Tuesday). He emphasized the urgency of resolving the matter, noting that St James High is the only school in the parish still operating on a shift system and that students need adequate preparation time for external exams.

“We have been asking for redress from the Ministry of Education since last year,” Williams said. “This school has been doing so well, and we don’t want that to be thwarted.”

St James High School currently serves a student population of more than 1,700.