NEW PROTOCOLS AT FREDERICK SMITH SECONDARY AFTER FEMALE STUDENT REPORTEDLY ASSAULTED DURING SCHOOL HOURS
By Anesta Henry
A man who walked off the streets and allegedly sexually assaulted a female student of Frederick Smith Secondary School on Thursday is now in police custody.
And as investigators probe the incident which occurred during school hours and Government officials promise to boost security at the Trents, St James institution, a senior lawyer has suggested that the parents of the child who was allegedly assaulted may have grounds to take legal action.
Following a four-hour meeting with staff, teachers’ unions, and other officials, Minister of Education Kay McConney, who said a national policy for security at all schools is needed, confirmed the alleged assault.
“There was an incident where a child was assaulted and the matter is now in the police’s hands. And I have to say allegedly so because until such things are proven, we have to be careful what we say. But what I will say, the truth is there was an incident,” she disclosed.
“The police now have this matter in hand, and I would say nothing further on it because due process has to happen. I do know that they had someone in custody, and we will make sure that we will follow that situation to understand what happens at that point in time. Of course, at the appropriate time, we will have the appropriate conversations to see what intervention is required.
“We are not interfering with the investigation at this point in time, but of course, we will be sensitive. And as we have done in every situation where there has been a significant crisis, the ministry has made the resources available for the students and the teachers; in fact, we have made the resources available to parents as well,” she said.
King’s Counsel Michael Lashley suggested civil action could be taken against authorities over the incident.
“I would have to hear the facts first but in an instance where somebody is under a duty to ensure the safety of children and it is proven that they have breached that duty of care owed to the students, then obviously, it is negligence, and the parents or whoever has custody of that child can sue the state for damages,” he said.
McConney said that with teachers at the meeting calling for improved security measures, the school’s Board of Management will be holding an emergency meeting to bring a speedy resolution to the issues.
The Education Minister said teachers who say they feel unsafe have asked that parents and other persons coming to the school make appointments in order to be allowed on the premises.
“And if you have not made an appointment and you show up at the gate and you don’t have a legitimate reason to be here, indeed, you will not be allowed in. We know that there are parents who like to bring lunch for their children; they come, and they pick up their children, they drop off their children, and they do many things with their children.
“The principal will, in fact, be sending out a note to parents indicating what are some of the new protocols and the ways in which they will be able to continue to have that access to their children,” McConney said.
She added that a decision has also been taken to close the school gates at 9:30 a.m., so students are being encouraged to arrive on time.
Minister McConney indicated that it was also agreed at the meeting that there needs to be more accountability on the part of parents, as teachers were being asked to do more than their fair share in terms of maintaining discipline, feeding, and giving guidance and direction to students.
She said while the educators were expected to go the extra mile for their charges, far too many parents were not pulling their weight.
“And the teachers are beginning to feel it. The teachers have asked that we come up with a stronger way to compel parents to be accountable for their children, and we have agreed that we will continue to have that as part of our conversation with the teachers as well as with the parents,” McConney said.
Meanwhile, the school’s principal Stephen Jackman said it would be decided at the emergency meeting with the Board of Management whether additional security officers would be required. There are currently two security officers.
He added: “We are going to be closing the gates at 9:30 a.m. and we will issue appointments for parents. If a parent comes and they don’t have an appointment but it is something that we feel we have to assess, then we will designate an area where that parent will stay where they cannot interact with the school for the safety of the parent and for the safety of the children.
“Anyone coming to see their child, we would be bringing the child to them; we will no longer be escorting them into the general body of the school. We have identified the area and it will be in plain view of the security officers”.
President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Rudy Lovell, who also attended the meeting, told the media that the issues the teachers raised with the Minister had previously been highlighted by the BUT.
In fact, he said the incident that occurred on Thursday could have been prevented if security at the institution was tightened after previous concerning incidents.
“We have been agitating for security in schools for a number of years. We know there are some schools in Barbados that would need more security than others, and Frederick Smith Secondary School is one such school.
“We are hopeful that security will be provided for the staff and the students to be able to feel comfortable while carrying out their daily duties, and we are mindful that yesterday’s incident may have triggered what will be a new protocol in terms of security in schools.”
