A chaotic morning unfolded at More Than Me Academy on Ashmun Street in central Monrovia as a court-ordered eviction forced hundreds of students out of their classrooms. The eviction occurred amid a heavy downpour, disrupting classes as students were ordered to gather their books and leave the premises shortly after arriving for the school day. Teachers had not yet begun classes, and students had little time to collect their belongings before being forced to vacate the building.
The eviction is the latest development in a long-running legal dispute over ownership of the property, which has been occupied by More Than Me Academy for years. The Montgomery family claims ownership of the property and says it has been denied access to the premises for more than 15 years. Erica Davis, speaking on behalf of the family, stated that they recently obtained a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court, which paved the way for enforcement of the court’s decision.
Davis described the eviction as the culmination of a legal battle that the family had pursued for more than a decade. She expressed frustration that the school had continued to occupy the property despite the ongoing legal dispute, questioning why students were present at the property when the family had been seeking to enforce the court’s decision. The court sheriff reportedly arrived at the school with an order directing the institution to vacate the premises.
Police subsequently barricaded the entrance, preventing students from re-entering the building as the eviction exercise unfolded. Davis stated that the family had given the school 15 years to resolve the issue and that they were not going to be lenient. The eviction has left hundreds of students without access to their classrooms, with the academic year already underway.
The school’s administration has blamed the Liberian government for the eviction, accusing them of failing to adequately communicate the status and outcome of the legal proceedings. School officials stated that they had been occupying the premises under government instruction and had expected government officials to keep them informed as the legal case progressed.
However, the school received no subsequent information about the status of the case, describing the sudden eviction as a betrayal. The school is now exploring alternative arrangements to ensure that students can continue their education. Administrators are also attempting to negotiate with the private property owners in the hope of finding a temporary or long-term arrangement that would allow classes to continue.
The institution is working to minimize the disruption to students’ education, with the goal of preventing students from losing additional instructional time. The eviction has caused significant disruption to the students, and the school is seeking a resolution to the situation as soon as possible. The incident highlights the need for effective communication and planning to avoid such disruptions in the future.
Key points
- The eviction of More Than Me Academy is a result of a long-standing legal dispute over property ownership.
- The school administration has shifted blame to the Liberian government for not communicating effectively about the case status.
- The incident has left hundreds of students without classrooms, disrupting their education.
