Merl Grove PTA calls for review of principal’s leadership as parents raise concerns

The Parent Teacher Association at Merl Grove High School is asking the school’s board and Jamaica’s Ministry of Education to urgently review the leadership of Principal Dr Marjorie Fullerton.

In a press release, the PTA said parents had reported interactions they considered curt, dismissive and sometimes disrespectful. It also cited concerns about unilateral decision-making, limited consultation and inadequate explanations for decisions affecting students and families. The association said the concerns could no longer be treated as isolated disputes between individual parents and the administration.

The PTA highlighted the handling of graduation arrangements for the 2026 graduating class. Parents were formally told in March that the ceremony would take place on July 2, and families then bought clothing, organized celebrations, arranged transport, sought vacation leave and made plans for relatives traveling from overseas. Graduation preparations had also begun, including class photographs and payments for school leaving certificates and related costs.

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Parents have repeatedly reported interactions which they consider curt, dismissive and, at times, disrespectful.

Parents were later told that the ceremony would take place on Oct. 25, almost four months after the original date. “The concern extends beyond the change of date itself,” the PTA said, pointing to the lack of meaningful consultation and the financial, logistical and emotional consequences for families that relied on the school’s communication.

The association said some overseas relatives had already bought airline tickets and arranged accommodation. It added that students who missed important primary and preparatory school milestones during the COVID-19 pandemic had especially looked forward to celebrating their high school graduation without disruption.

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The concern extends beyond the change of date itself.