Frederick Smith Secondary next as ministry tackles school indiscipline

The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) is preparing to press education officials for urgent action next week amid deepening concerns over violence and deviance in schools, with staff at Frederick Smith Secondary among those demanding swift intervention.

The disclosure came as the ministry announced plans to engage with staff at the St James school and other educational institutions facing similar problems. The announcement followed a meeting with teachers at Princess Margaret Secondary School on Thursday, prompted by a widely circulated letter detailing serious behavioural issues there.

BUT General Secretary Gilbert Carmichael confirmed that union representatives had already met with teachers at Frederick Smith Secondary and would soon present their concerns to the Ministry of Educational Transformation.

“They outlined several issues,” Carmichael told Barbados TODAY following the meeting with teachers. “We will meet with the ministry… to ventilate those issues, to bring some resolve or address to the teachers at Frederick Smith.”

While declining to go into specifics before the upcoming discussions, Carmichael warned that the surge in student aggression and threats against teachers signals a deeper breakdown in the school environment.

“These acts of aggression are not isolated occurrences, but are a reflection of the nature of our society,” he said. “No student should ever feel emboldened to make a teacher a target, nor should any teacher feel threatened in their own classroom.”

A statement issued by the Ministry of Education also confirmed that on Thursday, officials met with staff at Princess Margaret Secondary School, the institution that had been the subject of a widely circulated letter detailing serious behavioural concerns.

“During the engagement, ministry officials had open and constructive discussions with the teaching and non-teaching staff regarding the issues outlined in the letter,” it said. “While it became evident that some teachers were not fully aware of the extent of the challenges described, the meeting provided a valuable opportunity for all parties to share perspectives and clarify concerns.”

The ministry announced that Princess Margaret Secondary, which was closed to facilitate the meeting, would remain closed next Tuesday–following the mid-term break from Friday to Monday—to allow for counselling and planning.

It also confirmed that similar engagements will be held at other schools over the next three weeks, beginning with Frederick Smith Secondary.

Carmichael said he welcomed the government’s willingness to engage: “I’m happy that the ministry has recognised that there is indeed a challenge with violence in our schools… and is making an effort to address these situations by responding to the particular schools.”

On Wednesday, BUT President Rudy Lovell told Barbados TODAY that four teachers at three schools were assaulted in recent days. Two of them required medical attention and were subsequently placed on leave, he said.

Meanwhile, the opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) added its voice to the growing debate, accusing the ministry of focusing on grooming rules rather than the root causes of violence.

In a statement, DLP spokesperson on education Felicia Dujon said expulsions and suspensions alone would not solve the problem.

“Our children are crying out for guidance, structure and care,” she said.

“But we must also speak honestly about the fear and fatigue being experienced by our teachers.… No teacher knows how a student might respond in a moment of conflict. Many are left feeling unsafe, unsupported and exposed to long-term mental health stress.”

The party called for a national framework to address school safety and student development, including the placement of trained mental health professionals in all secondary schools, values-based conduct codes, and the creation of reintegration centres for suspended students.

The DLP warned that waiting for a tragedy to occur before acting would be unacceptable.

In a separate statement, the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) said the growing indiscipline in schools is cause for concern.

“It is about time that the citizens of this country take a stand and support a call for the removal of the policies which serve to undermine discipline in our school,” it said. “There must also be restoration of the authority which was once entrusted to principals and teachers at schools.”

CTUSAB also expressed concern about violence in the wider society, saying that it is now “a high-level problem… that threatens to throw the Barbadian society into chaos”.

He called on the government to act decisively to address the issue.

shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb