Time to reflect

The priest who admitted “full responsibility” for leaking a Barbados Community College exam paper and its answers has been suspended from pastoral duties for three months to undergo a period of “reflection”, the Anglican Diocese announced this afternoon.

In a statement, the Diocese said: “Reverend Reginald Knight will spend the next three months undergoing a period of reflection, personal and professional development guided by a senior clergyman of the church who will be designated by the Bishop.   

“During that period, starting in August 2019, he will not undertake any clerical or pastoral duties.”

The decision came after an investigation was conducted by the church’s Pastoral Committee and it was revealed that Knight has expressed remorse for his actions.

But according to the church’s statement, Anglican Bishop Right Reverend Michael Maxwell thought it necessary for Knight to spend time reflecting on the pain he caused.

The statement read: “Reverend Knight has taken full responsibility for his actions, expressed contrition and deep sorrow for the hurt and damage his actions have caused the Church, the Diocese and his own ministry.

“While [Rt Rev Maxwell] has accepted Reverend Knight’s apology,  it is appropriate that he takes the time to deeply reflect and receive counsel that is necessary to personally heal and repair the damage that his actions have caused  to his former students, his family, his colleagues, the Barbados Community College and the Church.”

It was back in May that the CORE 101 Ethics and Citizenship examination was halted at the last minute after a breach in examination regulations. Approximately 600 students were expected to write the exam.

Reverend Knight, a part-time tutor, leaked both the examination’s questions and responses via social media sparking a strong outcry from students.

Days later, BCC Principal Annette Alleyne told Barbados TODAY that Reverend Knight had been barred from the college’s examination process.

A full investigation was to be launched and a full report on the incident would be made available to the Ministry of Education, she said then.

“So, the investigation is not quite finished but once we have made a decision, I would be relaying them to people,” Alleyne said.

At the time, Reverend Knight claimed that the leak was a mistake and noted that he apologised to the principal and the registrar. colvillemounsey@barbadostoday.bb