Vocational School steps up disciplinary actions

~ To curb violence, unruly behaviour ~

SOUTH REWARD--St. Maarten Vocational Training School (SMVTS) has stepped up its disciplinary measures against what were referred to as "unruly students" in an effort to clamp down on violence at the institution.

The effort is a collaborative effort of the school management, teachers, staff and Parent Teachers Association (PTA).

Director Vernon Richards said in a statement on Monday that a series of exercises had been held at the school during the course of last week to curb violence. These exercises included queuing up students and checking them for weapons, drugs and appropriate uniform, and "drilling" them about respect.

The school also allowed students to voice their concerns about what they had been encountering at the school. Some of the issues students listed were bullying, high level of violence and classes being interrupted because of unruly children.

Richards said the school's management, teachers, staff and PTA had "united stronger than ever to regain control of a safe and working school environment for all." He said SMVTS had been "the dumping ground for unruly children" over the past few years.

"When some children are out of control and considered dangerous to others, these children are expelled from their school, but are then sent to the SMVTS because of compulsory education, SMVTS being the only government-owned high school.

"These unruly children are bunched together at one school and over the years have physically and verbally harmed children and teachers. Many of these unruly children have had many encounters with the law (violence, drugs, rap and stealing). The SMVTS offers vocational education and was never designed to handle students with extreme behavioural problems," he said.

He called on the Education Ministry to address "the problem of placing unruly students at SMVTS as an answer to the problem."

"These children need to be placed in a proper facility with qualified staff to deal with such cases. SMVTS is also calling on parents to be actively involved in your children's lives and to work in unity with the school. When some parents/guardians are called for unruly children, some parents' reaction is 'don't call me; call the police, because I don't know what to do with him or her either. I am tired.'"

He said, however, that it is "only together we can move forward."

The school thanked its teachers, staff and PTA for "the tedious exercises that took place last week and encourages all parties to stay united as we continue to bring positive change to our school."

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/22534-vocational-school-steps-up-disciplinary-actions-.html

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