CCC Breaks Silence, Says It Was Obligated To Act

Corozal Community College (CCC) has issued a public statement in response to our report on the High Court’s dismissal of the institution’s legal challenge against the reinstatement of teacher Renan Ruiz. CCC says it pursued the case out of a duty to protect its students, and that it is now bound to accept the court’s decision.

CCC said it was unaware of the source of the information in our report but noted it had previously been “threatened with public disclosure” of the case. It said it considered it necessary to clarify its position for the public and its stakeholders. The entire judgment is posted on the Judiciary of Belize website.

In the statement, CCC outlined the timeline of events: disciplinary proceedings against Ruiz began in March 2024 following what the college described as a serious allegation of professional misconduct, specifically, inappropriate communication with students who were minors. The institution said all established procedures were followed to ensure natural justice was upheld.

By September 2024, the Belize Teaching Service Commission had approved a recommendation for dismissal, finding Ruiz guilty of conduct morally harmful to students under Rule 92A-(3)(b) of the Education Rules (Amendment), 2012, including inappropriate contact and verbal harassment. Ruiz was subsequently notified of his dismissal.

The college said it became aware in January 2025 that Ruiz had appealed the decision. In September 2025, the Teaching Service Appeals Tribunal ruled his behaviour was unacceptable but found the penalty of dismissal excessive, reducing it to a loss of one and a half months’ salary and mandatory counselling.

As we reported yesterday, Justice Rajiv Goonetilleke refused the college’s application for judicial review on March 20, 2026, finding its arguments had no realistic prospect of success. The court also ruled that CCC, as an unincorporated body without legal personality, lacked the standing to bring the case in the first place. Costs were awarded to Ruiz, with the court warning that if the college fails to pay, the individual who filed the supporting affidavit could be held personally liable.

The college confirmed that Ruiz was reinstated on April 16, 2026, and said it has met its obligations arising from the ruling. It added that it will continue to fulfil any additional requirements going forward.