Dear Editor,
One Sunday morning in the late 1970s early ‘80s a gentleman told me to tell the judge that he said, “If the judge built a house, got married after building the house and the marriage did not go well, if the judge would agree to leave the house that he had built for the wife who did not know how the house got built?”
I was reminded of that situation when what I still consider the stupidest law that was made forbidding parents from using the rod came about. I remain of the conviction that that is the main cause of the direction our youth have taken today. What I know is that there is no law that is going to hold me responsible for the behavior of my children, but still forbid from punishing them by sparing the rod.
My father had 11 boys and up to today we would repeat one of his famous sayings “There is only one man who has the key to this house.” That usually followed, mind you not for doing anything wrong on the road, just for not reaching home on time. It has worked for us.
In the Weekender of August 11, under “What we should do,” mention is made of reasons why teachers were leaving that noble profession. Among the reasons given was parents disrespecting teachers, and I can add, in the presence of their children; also students threatening teachers.
I know about this first-hand because for the academic year 2007-2008 I was contracted to be the head of security and the Discipline coach at the St. Maarten Academy and the PSVE. Parents who could not get past me threatened to complain about me to government. They must have climbed down a peg or two because there was no reaction to their threats.
What I know is that the passing percentage went from 57 percent to 87 percent that academic year. I had told Mr. James in advance that the only right I was ready to accept from any student is the right to learn.
Statistics will show that during that year the police which had to be stationed in the area of the school daily only visited the Academy and the PSVE four times and twice was for students who had done something wrong outside of school hours. My policy was, as long as I am responsible and my rules were reasonable, my rules had to be adhered to. If not, the consequences are for the lawmakers, who by the way in my view are the reason for the tempering of desire to become teachers.
If parents are going to the schools to fight the teachers because of their children’s unacceptable behavior, why should the teachers who because of that junky children’s rights rule are not allowed to apply appropriate punishment, be willing to teach those children?
When government imposed compulsory education did government not know that government had to be prepared to add security and a discipline department in schools? And give the discipline officers special powers?
Children spend at least six hours per day under supervision of their teachers, which they do not spend with their parents because of working hours and bed-time. There is also Little League, steel pan practice, judo, etc. Let’s be reasonable; the teachers should not have to be constantly aware of the consequences if they happen to slip up while disciplining a rude student. Children who their own parents cannot manage.
It is easy to foresee that if no steps are taken to allow the teachers to take the necessary steps to discipline the students without fear of repercussion, that 44 is going to increase.
Money will always be a factor, because the exorbitant salaries that Ministers and MPs enjoy will always be a comparison, but teachers need to feel free to do their job without the consequence of a slip-up on their minds. There should be laws and policies to ensure that government has their backs.
I will repeat, teachers are the ones with whom the students spend the most hours of the day. By the way, is it not in our interest to raise intelligent and responsible children?
Russell A. Simmons
