The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

ONE hundred teachers at C V Bethel Senior High School were reportedly left “traumatised” after a marine biology teacher suffered injuries in an alleged altercation with students on the campus, with some of them reportedly visiting doctors yesterday due to the anguish caused.

Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson confirmed this, adding there had been no classes at the East Street South school since the incident on Monday, illuminating safety concerns.

Yesterday, officer-in-charge of the East Street South police station, Superintendent Roberto Goodman, said the matter was under active investigation, but at this point it could not be said if there would be charges against anyone.

He said this investigation was somewhat slow moving as it involved mostly minors who could only be interviewed by police in the presence of parents or guardians.

However, he said already police have found that the incident was not as severe as portrayed by social media reports that alleged the male instructor was left “bloodied” by a group of students.

Mrs Wilson said the teacher was left with an injury to his arm. He then had to have an MRI on his neck, back and arm, The Tribune was told.

“We are actively investigating the incident,” Supt Goodman said yesterday when he was contacted. “We are still doing preliminaries. I was able to speak to some students today, but I can’t say yet if there will be any charges. I also interviewed the teacher and saw some of the students.

“But it’s not like how social media said. It wasn’t a bloody scene as was said.”

He confirmed that two male students were taken into custody following the incident, but were released pending investigation.

Acting Education Director Sharon Poitier said officials were waiting for a report from C V Bethel’s principal before it conducted its own investigations.

Asked if classes were affected, she said: “We are awaiting the principal’s report relative to that and as soon as we get it we will know exactly what is transpiring on the campus.”

For her part, Mrs Wilson said teachers were either in meetings all day Wednesday and yesterday or attending doctor’s appointments suffering mental anguish over the altercation.

She said: “On Monday there was an altercation with a male teacher and several male students. The teacher was actually injured and he has injury to his arm and he had to have an MRI on his neck, back and his arm. His colleagues, the other teachers are standing in solidarity with him.”

But she denied the teachers were sitting out as was claimed on social media.

“Police are still investigating the matter,” she continued.

“The teachers would have used yesterday and they came out with a discipline and safety plan for the school, which they presented to the principal and are awaiting the principal and her administration’s response to how they are going to carry out the plan to make sure the school is safe and that the children actually adhere to the rules and that discipline is really carried out on a day-to-day consistent basis.”

This is the second major issue involving teachers in recent weeks.

In November, the majority of teachers at C H Reeves Junior High School withdrew their services over mould and pest infestation at the school. These issues have since been corrected.

Education Minister Jeff Lloyd could not be reached yesterday for comment.