Thirty parents walked out of an East End Primary Parent Teacher Association meeting last night after its president clashed with the school's recently-appointed headmistress.

Claiming morale among parents and teachers has plummeted since Mrs. Cathy Bassett's appointment in September, PTA president Mr. Vaughn Trott said her attempt to take over last night's meeting was the final straw in a deepening chasm between the head and the PTA.

At Mr. Trott's instigation, the majority of parents quit the meeting at the school hall, leaving just five parents and five teachers behind.

The confrontation came as Mrs. Bassett attempted to override the PTA's attempts to discuss the transfer and demotion of two long-serving teachers in the school.

Instead, Mrs. Bassett ignored the PTA's wishes and went ahead with her proposed topic of discussion, Mr. Trott claimed.

"When I tried to assume my position as president, she called me aside. She said she had already set the agenda ... and then she went out and started the meeting,'' he said.

While she was speaking he declared himself and the executive no longer part of the meeting and invited anyone so inclined to leave.

Mrs. Bassett was not available for comment last night.

The conflict stems from a proposed decision to transfer a teacher of 14 years to another school and demote the school's deputy head, who has been with the school for 20 years, to rank of teacher.

Mr. Trott says parents are clamouring for a "straight up'' explanation for the transfer of two popular and long-serving teachers.

But so far answers from neither Mrs. Bassett nor the Education Department have been forthcoming.

"Teachers are feeling very insecure and intimidated,'' claimed Mr. Trott.

"Mrs. Bassett since her appointment in September has been making all kinds of radical changes with no real concern for the school. She is eroding the morale and confidence of teachers and the morale of the school.'' Last night, General Secretary of the Bermuda Union of Teachers Sen. Milton Scott, who was also present, accused Mrs. Bassett of "hijacking'' the meeting.

"A significant number of the school community are very concerned,'' he said.

"They want to see their concerns addressed.'' And he said morale among teachers, parents and students was at "an all time low''.

"Some drastic administrative changes need to be made to return the school to where it was,'' he claimed. "There is cause for concern when a significant number of parents walk out of a meeting.'' He added the headmistress had not yet finished her probationary period. Mrs.

Bassett received her first appointment as headmistress in September. Prior to that she worked as a mentor for three years and as a teacher at Dellwood Primary, according to Mr. Trott.

"We were all enthralled by her enthusiasm to begin with. We were very impressed,'' he said. "But this is very distressing. We have been through lots of trials and tribulations in the school but I have never seen the morale so low. The attitude has become `so who's next?' since she arrived.'' A meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. at St. George's Town Hall is open to anyone interested in the well-being of the school.

"We want to let parents and the community at large know what is going on and the manner in which changes are being made,'' Mr. Trott said.

SEN. MILTON SCOTT: BUT chief says school community `very concerned'.