Students and parents in North Preston have been taking to the streets and the Internet to protest the unexpected firing of a beloved teacher at Nelson Whynder Elementary by the Halifax Regional School Board (HRSB). The teacher, Joida Tynes-Simons, has been teaching in and around North Preston for more than 30 years.
A group of parents has already conducted a small protest outside the offices of the School Board. On the Internet, one of Tynes-Simons’ former students, Kardeisha Provo, has produced a YouTube video testimonial from herself and other former students calling for their teacher’s reinstatement.
Provo has been making a name for herself with her forthright YouTube videos about her life and her concerns. In her latest video, she and other students recall their time in Tynes-Simons’ class fondly. In one of the more telling moments, one student who had Tynes-Simons in 5th and 6th grades says, with a wry smile, “When I was in elementary school, I was a handful….but she could get through to me the most.”