SOURCE: DAILY OBSERVER The 15-year-old male student who allegedly took a firearm to school has been expelled, Director of Education Clare Browne told Observer yesterday.
In late September news broke that the young man was spotted with a firearm on the Clare Hall Secondary School compound, which prompted law enforcement and education officials to enforce an immediate lockdown of the institution to facilitate a search.
However, while the weapon was not found, the teenager, along with other students, were taken into custody, but only the 15-year-old was charged.
The Ministry’s decision to expel him from the public school system came after the student admitted to bringing a loaded weapon containing “six or seven rounds” onto the school premises, during a meeting on Monday with his parents.
“You can’t bring a loaded gun into school, and you get a slap on the wrist,” Browne said, confirming that the student had confessed to the incident. “He said so within my hearing that he brought the gun into school.”
The investigation has widened to include several other students who may have been involved in the incident. According to Browne, approximately eight young men were questioned, and their parents were called in for meetings. “We met with the parents of everyone,” he added, highlighting the administration’s thorough approach to the
While the main perpetrator faces the most severe consequences, the Director of Education said seven other students have been placed on behavioural contracts.
“Those seven young men were placed on contracts,” Browne explained. “They’re required to work hard, behave well; they’re also required to perform some major community service that will be monitored by the school.”
The director added that some of these students may not have been directly connected to the incident but were questioned as part of the ongoing investigation, and community service is being implemented as a corrective measure, with the school taking responsibility for monitoring their progress.
Regarding the primary individual, Browne was unequivocal about the seriousness of the situation, saying: “Anybody who brings a firearm into school, a loaded firearm with six or seven rounds, certainly you’re endangering the lives of those who operate within the school.”
The student, who cannot be named due to his age, will not be permitted to return to Clare Hall Secondary or any other public secondary school. However, the Ministry of Education has committed to assisting the student in pursuing his education through alternative means.
“He has reached a certain chronological stage and so his parents will have to make provisions for him to continue his education outside of the public secondary school system,” Browne said.
The director’s decision reflects a zero-tolerance approach to weapons in schools, citing the serious disruption and fear the incident caused.
“It was a lot of deprivation. People were deprived of lunch … people started to feel unsafe,” he said in relation to the lockdown.
Since the incident occurred on September 27 the 15 year old has not received any formal educational or vocational training.
Immediately after the incident, he had been placed on remand after appearing before the Child Justice Board. However, he was granted bail on November 5 after a second application was made in the High Court by his attorney Peyton Knight.
He faces a charge of having a firearm in his possession in furtherance of an offence, which is an offence under Section 13(1) of the Firearm Act Chapter 171 of the Revised Edition 1992 of the Laws of Antigua and Barbuda.
While the ministry maintains its commitment to education for all students, including those who make serious mistakes, the incident has prompted a reinforcement of security measures across the nation’s schools.
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GOOD!!
Hope his parents do better. Hope he learned the lesson
This is an opertunity lost by the Clare Browne. She has chosen the easy way out.
This young man has clearly not had great parental supervision nor any sort of positive mentorship. This is where the education system should step up with counseling and the try to get this young man back on the right track. Instead, he has been banned from schools and left to deal with the same issues he obviously has been facing to get him to this point. You will most likely create a future criminal that will affect you, me and others. Think about it, when there is nowhere good to turn, you turn bad. This is what Miss. Browne’s will more than likely create. There can’t be Zero Tolerance for kids. So sad
Many will say he deserves it, but let’s remember he is only 15. The stigma on him is bad enough, but to treat him as a pariah or outcast doesn’t help society nor does it bode well for his future. It time the heads of education seek help to deal with the new generation of children. Times have changed and so must the system of education along with it.
Miss. Browne you need to have better solutions because pretty soon you will be expelling more and more kids. Time to look past the old ways of dealing with issues. It helps no one.
And we are supposed to be Christians, give me a break.
The Wire,
I share the same sentiments. When I read this article in the wee hours of this morning via the Observer Newspaper I was so shocked of the outcome.
Mr. Clare Browne could’ve very well taken a better approach to help reform this teen who will more than likely continue down a negative path because it’s clear that there are unresolved issues that needs to be addressed.
I pray this young man’s family can afford to send him to private institution and provide him with some form of external counseling to assist him to never go down this path further.
Furthermore, why were the 7 students placed on contracts? How was this any fault of theirs that a student allegedly brought a firearm to the school and they’re implicated after questioning which resulting in none of them being apart of his actions?
From my personal knowledge I can assure you that these 7 students included victims and not perpetrators. So why place them on a behavioral contract because of another students action?
Our education system is flawed and we need to take a different approach.
I would say idiot, a 15 year old brought a loaded gun to school and confessed and you think the best thing to do is expell a 15 year old from all public schools on the small island? You thought that would be the best reaction in this situation, in this small island, in this place with limited opportunity?
I would take this as an opportunity to experiment. Demanding numerous after school programs for extended hours, having him report to the ministry and or police for public service, drills, etcetera.
Demand he provides substantial increase in grades and conduct. This kid needed to not be expelled.
Expelling the kid in a small island is not smart, that is a US thing, where the child can move to another jurisdiction in the same state or even outside that state. That does not exist in Antigua idiot? You literally may have just pushed this 15 year old further into criminality endangering the public instead of doing all you can do to try to save not only this 15 year old but the public but using your authority in the ministry of education in a pragmatic way. Idiot. This is why experts in social science are needed in areas like these. Idiots.
You heard him confessed, it is a sign he can be reached. Not matter his reason to confessed and you overhearing.
These idiots that you locals vote for and give them the power to hire idiots like these that will ensure the destruction of society and our youths.
Carrying a weapon to school is a horrific act, but in light of the totality of the circumstances, the punishment was not appropriate or wise.
What was the intent for carrying the weapon? Was it to showoff, commit apprehension assault, battery or murder? You need that information to make the decision you are making here. I am not saying having the loaded gun is less wrong, I am saying dealing with this horrific wrong should have been in a more pragmatic way.
Can some body save Antigua and Barbuda from the idiots please? I beg you. I am not asking for the job to show you that this outrage is not for me to get a job. I love my job, it pays well. I will not be leaving it. But others exist with my passion and qualifications. Put them there.
Make sure these idiots read my comment and the one who made the decision here also. Idiot. And I do not know this kid.
That happens in El Salvador decades ago…Trying to do programs with this kind of teenagers tho avoid them go into gangs…Results? Total failure…They adapt that you just need to lie better and be a good actor and the system will beleive that you are Ok..So those teenagers ended doing criminal activity more often because they will be tolerance around….When the tree grows twisted…it can’t be turned straight ever….Is a shame..but already a loser.
This is a rather complicated matter and what makes it so complicated is that though there was an alleged sightings of a gun, none was actually ever found. Why so? Could it have been a false alarm? And if there was really a gun, how come it was never found and who is the owner of the said firearm? Whilst I can understand and appreciate strong action for bringing a gun at school, many aspects of this story remains a mystery and are yet to be fully explained and rationalized.
Audley Phillip, you just gave us a Word Salad.
Explain your point please. We are talking about the young man and his punishment. If he actually did bring the gun to school, no matter the reason. Is the the punishment just is what you are saying? No politics here
The most important question of why this 15 year old carried a loaded gun onto school premises has not been related.
I believe we all need to get further insights into this issue.
What about the parents, were they the owners of the gun and was it licensed? If they were and it was, do they not hold some sort of liability for not having it safely stored away so that the child could not have access to it?
Taking away this child’s access to education should not be the answer.
I was disappointed that the gun was not found. The kid should have been detained and pressure should have been placed on the parents to find and turn in the gun. Else, we still have a problem which is that there’s a gun out there that can be used on anyone at anytime. Now that you’ve expelled him, he’ll never turn that in. Hopefully he’s not arrogant and angry enough to use it on anyone.
Would any of you feel comfortable sending your child back to that school after the incident? He has to learn the hard way but this is certainly not the end. Opportunities for leaning a trade which is in high demand and very profitable is always an option. Clearly he was not interested in going to school to be educated through tye conventional system.
@ Audley: I am not sure about the relevance of or not they found the gun. They had eyewitness that saw the child with the gun and the article did indicate that he admitted to having the gun in the presence of the Director of Education.
If appears that you want more details but as indicated, the matter was passed to the police. They should now do the investigation and bring the details many persons are seeking.
In my view, appropriate actions were taken. The Director is sending a strong signal that he has ZERO tolerance to guns in school. A 15 year old has sense and if he or she is interested in school, then do not bring guns there. If he went there a short teachers or your kids, you guys would be singing a different tune.
NO slap on the wrist approach. We do not want the school shootings like in the great USA here. Let them go ahead and put that child in the corner for 20 minutes : not here!
I wholeheartedly support the actions of Browne and I would go further and say he should have been sentenced as an adult and sent to prison for brandishing a gun in a public place.
Firm actions must be taken against juveniles who knowingly go about and endangered life. Thankfully, no one got physically hurt resulting from the bandit’s reckless behaviour.
The education authority has a duty of care to ensure the safety of learners and that safety was compromised. It’s noted that Browne’s critics have not commented on the victims who undoubtedly were traumatised.
The bandit has already defined his pathway in life and no amount of professional interventions will distract him from his chosen path. However, 7 years in adult prison for the offence maybe the wake up call.
stupid parents, that boy should do community service whiles the parents should be heavily fined for negligence for not securing that weapon. Deprive of education my foot, he can still go to a private institution, some of you adults are just idiots. Mass shooting could have happened in that school, what is his motive for carrying a loaded weapon to school? then what next, still allow him access to school because he is 15? both the parent and the child need a rehab.
Totally agree with the Director. It would not be fair to other students to have to constantly worry that he might do it again. Education is already underfunded and under-resourced. Schools cannot afford elaborate security in these parts and shouldn’t have to have detectors etc. as though all students are criminals just because of one student. If a student and his family don’t appreciate the free education, and won’t follow rules of basic consideration for others, they can make their own arrangements. However, they should be required to provide proof that the young man is constructively engaged and supervised somewhere every day until he turns 18. That way he can still get the help he needs to succeed in life.
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