Just four months into her tenure as president of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers, Local 1826, Tamieka Phillips is walking a tightrope—balancing advocacy for educators with efforts to maintain open communication with the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE). But on Thursday, she made her stance clear, standing in full support as John H. Woodson Junior High School faculty moved their classrooms outside in protest of unresolved health and safety concerns inside the school building.
“This isn’t a job action. Every teacher showed up to work, and instruction took place,” Phillips said in a call with the Source Thursday. “But the conditions inside the school have reached a breaking point. Health and safety come first.”
For years, Woodson has been plagued by severe infrastructure issues, with leaking roofs, broken ventilation systems, and inoperable windows creating a learning environment that Phillips described in a public statement Thursday as “untenable.” Reports of mold have only worsened the situation, with more than a dozen classrooms impacted and no clear solution in sight. Teachers, she said, had no choice but to take a stand.
Phillips, who has toured the campus multiple times since stepping into her leadership role, said the faculty and staff at Woodson have long suffered from conditions that not only endanger their health but also hinder students’ ability to learn. She acknowledged that while the Department of Education has begun to engage with the union on these concerns, action has been slow, and teachers cannot wait indefinitely.
With so many classrooms already out of commission, there are few, if any, viable spaces left for displaced teachers. “We are not striking,” Phillips emphasized. “But if educators feel that remaining inside the building puts them in a compromising position, they should not be expected to stay.”
In response, Craig Benjamin, Executive Director of the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance (BSCM), acknowledged the problem in a statement Thursday afternoon and outlined steps the agency is taking. “We acknowledge that mold has been an ongoing concern in certain classrooms, and I want to assure the public that the Bureau has taken proactive measures to address the issue,” Benjamin said. He stated that a contractor has been hired to begin deep cleaning of affected classrooms starting Thursday evening, with mold testing and remediation scheduled to continue through the weekend.
To allow the work to proceed uninterrupted, VIDE announced that Woodson will be closed on Friday, January 31, for all students, faculty, and staff. Parents were encouraged to check VIDE’s communication platforms for updates on when classes will resume.
Despite assurances from the Bureau, Phillips remained cautious, stressing that this is a long-standing issue that needs real solutions, not temporary fixes. “This is something I’ve inherited in my role, and it has only gotten worse over the months,” she said. “I am committed to working with the Department to create a safer environment, but our members and students deserve action.”
