Education Minister condemns death threats against student by Newell High teacher

Minister of Education Fayval Williams has condemned as unprofessional and inexcusable, the conduct of a teacher at the Newell High School in St Elizabeth who was seen in a video verbally assaulting, chasing, and threatening a student with death.

Williams says the footage has been referred to the Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA) and the Commissioner of Police for investigation.

In a statement today, Williams said such behaviour lowers the professionalism of the teaching sector.

“This normalises violence in the minds of our students and does not provide the kind of role model that the society expects of our teachers,” she said.

Williams indicated that the school board chairman has called an emergency meeting for Friday to deal with the conduct of the teacher.

“I spoke with the Chairman of the Board of Newell High School who is equally concerned by the verbal attack on the student and the death threats towards the student,” Williams said.

The education minister also said that such action on the part of a teacher must be condemned in the strongest way possible.

Williams noted that it has been reported that this is not the first time that the teacher has acted in a similar threatening manner towards students.

“This inexcusable act on the part of the teacher cannot be defended,” she added.

Williams said, “The students will be given counselling and psychotherapy to treat with the trauma caused by the verbal abuse and violent threat to which they were exposed. School should be a place where students feel protected and safe and trusting of the adults in charge of their well-being.”

She noted as well the need for psychotherapy sessions for the teacher.

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