14.NOV.08

Editor: I read in Searchlight last week that “Two female graduate teachers came to blows last week in the staff room of the Dr. JP Eustace Memorial Secondary School”. I am a former teacher from SVG now living in the US, and I have never experienced a teacher on teacher act of gross aggression as what I am hearing here.{{more}}

Notwithstanding, I believe that better demonstration of excellence in education is occurring daily in the SVG classrooms. I know that Vincentian teachers are faced with some of the hardest challenges, yet they rank among the best in the profession. However, whatever motivated these two teachers to gravitate to such an animalistic and undignified problem-solving method needs to be addressed with lasting lessons not just for these two teachers, but for all educators and students.

I do not believe that combative behaviour should not be tolerated from students, much more so from educators who are the very ones we rely on to teach and influence our young people to become well-balanced, rational thinking, and respectable citizens.

I do not want to be judgmental; however, I hope that after an in-depth investigation of the root-cause that led to the fight, a strong message would be sent to the person(s) responsible for the resultant mayhem. Also, I would encourage the Ministry of Education to add workplace-readiness and conflict resolution training to its curriculum.

W. Williams