The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEVEN students of the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI) were expelled last Thursday for bullying, using profanity, showing disrespect, and being chronically late, according to the Institute’s Academic Dean.

Students told The Tribune that they were shocked by the disciplinary action. They suspected they were expelled for voicing their disapproval of an instructor they considered “unqualified.”

“My cupboard empty, I just put my last $100 on my school bill last week Tuesday and now I got expelled and I don’t know why,” said 32-year old Estherlita Moxey. She said that she has had difficulty sleeping since her expulsion.

She and four other young women, Crystal Adderley, 18, Charmeeka Dean, 20, Crystal Gibson, 18, and Enohika Cornell, 21, said they had GPAs ranging from 3.5 to 4.0.

BTVI’s Academic Dean, Valdez Rahming, said not only did the students bully and intimidate others, but they frequently turned the permitted 15 minute class breaks into 45 minute class breaks.

He said he could not confirm or deny whether they had GPAs between 3.5 to 4.0. “The students expelled,” he said, “primarily refused to participate in class discussions, volunteer for practical in-class massage demonstrations, and strategically manipulated efforts to promote a level of dishonesty during tests.”

The students said they had never been reprimanded or warned, a claim Mr Rahming said was false. He said they were given written and verbal warnings. “Some of them have been suspended,” he added.

The students said they frequently complained about their instructor who often shouted in anger when they asked questions and who, in their opinion, did not have high teaching standards.

They said they fought to get more assignments because they “wanted to learn.”

They said they had complained about the teacher to a department head, the academic dean and the manager/consultant of the Institute.

“The students had spoken with the management team,” Mr Russell said. “They requested a meeting four weeks ago and during the conversation they began recording the meeting. None of them informed us or asked permission and no one apologized for doing so. It was inappropriate.”

The students, however, said that the person who recorded the meeting was not expelled. Mr Russell said the incident did not contribute to the decision to expel the students.

“We did not expel the students because they expressed their opinions respectfully. This decision was made following a period of approximately 8-weeks of working with students and their instructor to foster an environment for academic and student success.”

“Students dismissed from the programme have previously been advised about appropriate behaviour that need to be harnessed now for their greatest success in the world of work. However, these students consistently demonstrated behaviour of bullying, profanity, chronic lateness, disrespect and a blatant disregard for the institute’s Student Code of Conduct.”

“To this end, seven students were expelled to allow the four remaining students in the class an opportunity to learn in a productive environment. BTVI remains resolute in providing the best environment, instruction and standards of excellence to ensure that our students can be globally competitive and economically independent.”