Dear Source:
The responsibility of a school is much more than education and maintenance. Under the No Child Left Behind Act there are guidelines for protecting students from unsafe schools. Summaries of the Act are all over the internet and sections on unsafe schools refer to victims of school based crimes and students "trapped" in "persistently dangerous" schools who must be provided with a safe alterative. The Act also states that the school district must evaluate and report to the parents and the public whether the school is safe.
Since we in the VI do not have the luxury of so many junior high or high schools so students who are being targeted can be transferred to a "safer" school, the administration must find a way to rectify the present situation at each school.
Federal funding is also tied to safe schools. Under the Act, schools have a specific time period to reverse unsafe conditions and if things do not improve, federal funding can be lost. I am sure Dr. Lyn Spampinato has extensive knowledge on this subject. I hope someone raises the subject at the "Let's Talk" sessions hosted on all three islands by the new commissioner.
What can schools do to combat violence? First of all they have to admit there is a problem. We are reticent to admit we have "gangs" in the V.I. Our youth don't wear "colors" or identifying tattoos, they don't engage in initiation rituals, or have most of the identifiers of traditional stateside gangs. But if you come from "East" or "West" or a particular housing community or section of the island, don't mess with someone outside of your "turf" or else there will be repercussions. That is gangs – island style. It's been going on for decades but has escalated from fistfights and throwing rocks to stabbings and shootings. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck.
Our schools need to devote more attention to professional development training programs including classroom management, methods to encourage acceptance among all students, ways to deal with disruptive parents and unauthorized access to campuses.
Crisis management policies need to be increased and expanded. We must provide more supervision during breaks between classes, lunchtime and while students are boarding busses.
Every report of conflict needs to be treated seriously and immediately. Students need to be provided with mandatory counseling at the first hint of conflict in or outside of school. Its' easy to say the conflict began in the neighborhood and it was brought to the school, but the fact is – it is inevitable that it will be brought to the school — and the school must take steps to stop the violence before it starts.
All this cannot be done effectively without a strong community partnership with the schools, parents, police, Human Services, Justice and yes, the church's involvement.
Victoria Williams
Frederiksted, St. Croix
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