The Director of Education is promising a thorough investigation into a disturbing video involving two male students within the public school system.
The videos show a male student in a red shirt using the cord of a fan to strangle another student in a white shirt.
It also shows a the boy in the red shirt slapping the other across his head while other students encourage the abuse.
Director Clare Browne has confirmed the incident occurred last week.
The schools management, having learnt of what transpired, immediately suspended several students.
Commenting on the incident, Mr. Browne noted that while action cannot be taken by the ministry simply by viewing the video, believed to have been taped by another pupil, every effort will be made to properly investigate what took place.
A report is being compiled by the schools principal, which will then be delivered to the director of educations office for review and action.
Director Clare Browne is reiterating that no form of bullying will be tolerated in schools and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will enforce its zero tolerance policy against such actions.
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Let me preface this by saying that I am not pro harassment or bullying in school. When I went to secondary school, some of the worse things was done to me. No one was suspended or expelled and it was all taken in the spirit of camaraderie.
Providing education for children is the legal responsibility of governments. A decision to exclude a student means the child must either attend an alternative education provider or is home-schooled, depending on family circumstances.
Suspension and expulsion doesn’t work. Evidence shows these tactics aren’t effective in changing a student’s conduct, and carry major long-term risks for their welfare. Students most affected tend to be those with higher and more complex needs, such as those with disabilities and mental health issues. Instead of punishing young people, parents and educators should be encouraged to work together to improve their child’s behaviour, and governments should install programs to tackle these problem kids. In the case of some schools, this might mean honestly tackling the quality of teaching and leadership, as well as teacher attitudes to problem students. By suspending or expelling these kids from school, we are only sending them out in society to become a greater problem.
“The home is the first classroom.” So then the parents or whomever he lives with also needs therapy? Where did he learn that it was ok to strangle someone? Monkey see monkey do? Somebodies may need to attend parenting classes and it ain’t the gov’t or the teachers.
Agreed !!!!!
Children do not just get up out of the blue and behave like monsters. This behavior was going on for a long time and started from small. You bend a tree when its young not when its old. We as a society are very reactionary. We don’t do things to help prevent things from happening. Rather we wait until situations like this happen and then society with their faux rage act all concerned for a moment and then everything goes back to normal. If we truly want to change things we have to target problem children when they are young. You can’t wait till they are teenagers and set in their ways to try and fix things we have to get them while they are in primary school. Further they need to evaluate the child’s home and see if this behavior is coming from home or is a result of a dysfunctional home.
At this point i am not even sure what is the right or wrong way to deal with this matter. I am honestly wondering how the victim of this situation feels. As an individual, i have realized that a sensitive situation is handled and treated as is (for the moment). I wish to think as the victim in this present moment. What if that cord lead to more serious circumstances… injury….. death….. In this country, through out the world, bullying is very serious issue that has had many outcomes. I mean, a cord around my neck and a hard slap to the face is a payment for my INNOCENCE, while others set on and not help me. This encounter can leave possible emotional scars for this young man. Addressing this issue is just as important as getting that victim help as well. I hope this scenario will be deeply looked into, I really feel it for the victim as a parent. And i do hope the school child and his family gets justice. I think that there is not enough programmes available to children with issues (present or developing). I know the Government has a department that deal with these matters. Clearly it is not being implemented or offered enough.
This is why children nowadays don’t want to attend school ….what if he had strangle that boy to DEATH….
TRUST me that boy in red would have also been dead….
Parents send their children to school to be educated NOT TO BE BULLIED he needs NOT only suspension but to be EXPELLED ….. a mere few days home to laugh and relax doesn’t send a clear concise….MESSAGE…
BULLYING WONT BE ACCEPTED IN SCHOOLS
I am sorry for what you endured however this cannot be ignored. When I was a child growing up in Antigua we would have gotten it at school and at home. What if this was your son or family member would you be saying the same things. I would not want my child going to school and getting bullied! They cannot and will not learn in such situations. Did you ever hear of children who have committed suicide because of bullying? Surely they need counseling and help but not in the school situation as it is not an environment that is conducive for learning. I believe that even the children that looked on and encouraged this, neither got an adult to stop this, they should be suspended.
they never did shit when i got bullied in ocs and i got a permanent sickness seizures and im stuck with that
This child needs to be removed from the school system. He is a danger to other students. If he is troubled then he needs to be in an institution for troubled teens. He is very lucky because if it was my child he was choking …..
In addition, all the students who were there çheering him on needsto be suspended or expelled. ZERO TOLERANCE ON VIOLENCE ID NEEDED.
Suspension isnt enough!😠😡 suppose they did kill or damage the young man what would have happened?
The victim need to be positively influenced with words of hope around church leaders and members who must speak life into him and let him know it’s not his fault. The students who cheered on and the one doing the action need to be placed into 1735 just for one night with real inmates where they will be taught first hand what doing these things will lead them and then have them in counseling for 7 (months). It is clear those boys are seeing that actions around them, not just TV and radio alone…unlessssssss, these boys are into a society where they need to do certain actions to gain “up” or it’s an initiation the one has too do…it’s all wrong.
They both should be incarcerated
I can certainly guarantee if that was my kid the whole family I’m wiping out, too many times bullying takes place and nobody does diddle squat, 40,30,20, years ago is nothing like todays youth. I’m convince children like this is the seed of Satan!!!! I said what I said. It’s time parents take vigilante justice for their children. Don’t talk about the onlookers they just as guilty by association.
Lots of intellectual bunkum and scholastic Bosh! That is attempted murder! If I did it to someone, I would be arrested! What makes him any different? Two young ladies at ASC were threatened to have the book thrown at them. Now this act of violence and abuse is treated with a slap in the wrist? Nonsene Clare Brown! If that child being strangled were yours what would you have done?
Parties involved were wrong to strangle the student as well as video the incident but I am becoming very very scared of our public school system as it shows that our students are not properly monitored while at school. Where did they get all that time from to be sleeping and doing this cruel act? Where were staff members? Should we nor monitor students while on break? Had it been my son, I would have been really upset but on the softer side if we are suspending those responsible, where are we sending them and to what?
Maybe Antigua needs to seek Chinese assistance in building a youth detention facility, where these reprobates can still receive an education, and learn about the errors of their ways.
You are the reprobate!!
Could not go unpunished. The psychological impacts on the victim cannot be ignored. At the age where social ranking and ratings are the primary currency, this level of rejection by ones peers in which they would victimise and ridicule you is devastating. This young man has been sent the message by his peers that he is rejected by the group and as an outcast is dehumanized by receiving treatment only used on helpless animals by psychopaths. He is most likely questioning his own self worth and valur at this point. Most of us remember our youth as fun times with friends and peers, some friendships we have even years later. We often joke and laugh about school days. What will his memories be like?
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