IT MAY BE A CASE of life in Barbados imitating American art.
If you were around in 1955 when Black Board Jungle, the classic social commentary film on youth violence in US schools, was first shown in Bridgetown cinemas to sell-out audiences, the terrifying scenes being recorded in Barbados’ schools today would be familiar.
Back then, hundreds of Bajans objected to the movie’s screening in their country, because they feared violence against teachers and students would put horrible ideas into the heads of impressionable youth. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. But now the worst fears have become a reality in our 50-year-old nation.
In the movie, attacks on teachers and an atmosphere of violence were commonplace. We also saw a breakout performance by a West Indian actor, Sidney Poitier of The Bahamas, who played the role of a rebellious but talented youth.
In today’s real world, the grandchildren of some of movie-goers who viewed the film in Barbados are unleashing violence in schools. In a recent case, a third-former in St Michael joined the list of students punching, spitting on or kicking teachers, forcing us to wonder what Barbados is coming to while asking how we can deal with the nightmare.
The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) has unwisely suggested that expelling students is the answer. That’s a knee-jerk, heavy-handed response. The teachers at an affected school agree with the BSTU. We do not. The Barbados Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools (BAPPSS) offered a measured reaction by supporting a “zero tolerance” to violence. Yes, we must move aggressively against violence by punishing the youth. But no, kicking them out of the classroom would be wrong.
For one thing, we must respect the student’s right to due process, giving them a chance to defend themselves against allegations. For another, we should recognise we are dealing with juveniles who are prone to impulsive and inappropriate behaviour. Next, expulsion can transform a troubled kid into a life-long charge on society and into an inmate at Dodds.
Clearly, we should suspend violent students for a specified period of time. But kicking them out of school altogether is unacceptable. Today’s troubled youth can be tomorrow’s star performer.
What we must consider, though, is enacting parental responsibility legislation that holds adults accountable in civil court for the abusive behaviour of their children who are minors. Other jurisdictions have either considered or introduced such laws.
If, as has happened recently in Barbados, parents can rush to schools and threaten teachers and administrators who discipline students, we can haul mothers and fathers before the civil court for the harm and damage their children cause. Several states in America, including Maryland, already do that.
After all, there is no free lunch.
