The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AFTER the stabbing of a male student at AF Adderley Junior High this week, teachers at the school are concerned about their safety, according to Bahamas Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson.

In a voice note released yesterday, Mrs Wilson said the union is saddened by the stabbing of “yet again another young male student”. The school was dismissed early yesterday. Mrs Wilson said teachers were “sitting in” yesterday and plan to highlight their concerns in writing to education officials.

However, she said she is pleased that National Security Minister Wayne Munroe wants to put police back in schools.

“I really want to say to parents I urge you to take quality time with your children,” Mrs Wilson said. “Know their whereabouts, know their friends, give them guidance. We are losing too many of our youths to violence and crime.”

She said this is not the first incident at AF Adderley since face-to-face classes resumed.

“So the teachers of AF Adderley Junior High School, they are very concerned about their safety. So today they are sitting in and they will prepare a document for the administration and for the Ministry of Education where they will highlight the concerns and they will also give recommendations on the way forward for safety on the school’s campus,” she said.

“I wish the young student a speedy recovery and we definitely need to have rehabilitation and counselling for the alleged perpetrators.”

On Wednesday, Mr Munroe acknowledged the stabbing and said it may be gang-related.

He said he is prepared to station police officers within schools to strengthen safety.

In a separate voice note, Mrs Wilson supported the position.

“I am pleased that the national security minister has committed to utilise police officers in schools,” she said. “This will provide for another layer of protection for students and teachers to make sure that they are safe on our school campuses.

“For years, the Bahamas Union of Teachers have advocated for the return of police on school campuses. Let me be clear though, the police will not take the place of the principal or the teachers or the disciplinarians in the schools but the police will work closely with administration and the teachers and the guidance counsellors to ensure safety on our campuses.

“The intelligence, in my view, that police will gather not only from within the school campus but also in the community could prove very beneficial in the prevention of crimes and violence on school campuses or even in the proximity of schools. Previously there was a school policing policy. There was a school policing manual. There was a school policing committee.

“. . .I’ve already reached out to Minister Wayne Munroe, permanent secretary of education and the commissioner of police. I await the comprehensive plan so that we can ensure that everything is being done to keep not only the schools in New Providence but throughout The Bahamas safe,” she said.

The Tribune visited the school yesterday, however a reason was not given for the early dismissal.

The Tribune asked parents how they would feel about police returning to schools.

One parent welcomed the idea of police on campus. The father has a daughter in the seventh grade who he said seemed okay, but she does not feel safe.

“I believe we should do more to protect the school because kids coming here, they’re finding ways to bring their weapons in,” he said. “You know they get their bags searched. Sometimes, children may throw their weapons over by the fence and what not. So I feel like they should do more.”

Parent Desmond Bowleg noticed a change at the school when he dropped off his son.

“When I dropped him here this morning we had to go through all of this body check, which I don’t have no problem with it, but it seems like you are sending your child into a prison.

“They usually do the routine COVID checks with you know sanitising hand, making sure you have on your mask. They would’ve checked the bags, but I saw them use a scanner like you know when you going into a prison or some places like high risk,” he said.