Fights continue among JGHS students
John Gray High School
(CNS): Education officials have confirmed that another fight took place last week at the John Gray High School following two other violent incidents — a gang-related fight and an assault on a teacher — earlier this month. Acting Chief Education Officer Lyneth Monteith said the latest “physical altercation” took place between two female students last Tuesday and was not gang-related. However, a parent told CNS that the victim in this case, who is being bullied, was set upon by a group of girls and not just one individual.
With differing reports coming from the school and from parents, who say the main protagonists have been involved in previous serious violent incidents, sources tell CNS that a growing number of parents are concerned that the school is simply not coping with the frequency and severity of violent bullying at the school.
Following the latest fight, the CEO said that the parents of both the girls in this latest incident attended the school to address the incident.
“Senior staff and the school’s Resource Officer spoke to the parents and set a meeting for Monday to resolve the issues between the two students and to discuss the findings of the school investigation,” the education department and ministry said in a joint statement.
“This incident was not gang related but involved personal differences between the two students. This type of action for resolving conflicts between students ensures that home and school are active partners in the resolution. Whilst conflicts will arise, this is one of the accompanying actions for ensuring a positive outcome and is employed along with any sanctions as per the school’s student behaviour policy and the national code of conduct.”
Officials also said the issue of bullying is addressed in tutorials, assemblies, special presentations, in small groups, individually and via school initiatives such as the High Five values, all of which are ongoing across all schools in the government system. Education Minister Tara Rivers has also introduced behaviour contracts in response to the violence, which set out expectations regarding students’ behavior and the consequences for misbehaving.
Last week government advertised for three different posts relating to behavior in school. Government is seeking a behaviour support services manager, a specialist teacher to work with children with behaviour and emotional difficulties and a teaching assistant for behavioural support.
Category: Education, Local News
Everyone has answers but nobody commenting is in the position to implement them or willing to stepup. Very Caymanian, blame everyone else for any issue that arises…blame the expats is the usual rhetoric. Nothing changes. Repeat!
These are the reasons why I will never ever have my children in the Cayman Islands Public School system.
On the theme of ‘inclusion’, this is all ok if the schools are supplied with the necessary classroom support, clearly defined behavioral requirements and most importantly monitoring of the effects of said inclusion on the standard of education received by the 80-90% of students in each class whom want to achieve,
SADLY, this is not the case, inclusion seems to mean that JGHS,CHHS etc. can say that they are helping children remain in school whereas in reality inclusion drags down the level of achievement of EVERY other student in that class and leads to more frustration, more anger, inevitably more fights, which I believe is where we started this thread!
I can say without bias or agenda, that I would much rather see the thousands of idle square feet in the half-finished ‘new’ JGHS finished than renovate an airport that works fine. Abandoning that entire complex 5 years ago, leaving it to rot in clear view of students, and pretending it doesn’t exist politically, feeds into the anti-establishment behavioral cycle that these kids identify with.
Two Tier Solution.
1. Separate the the kids that are trying to better themselves from those who are not. This should be easy as most teachers know who the troubled kids are. They should also do an exam to see what their placement level is. Send these kids to school 7:00 – 2:00.
2. Send the other children to school 2:00 – 7:00 with specialist teachers and or trade teachers. Most of the kids that are acting out and fighting are the ones who cant keep up in class and therefore cause trouble so no one can notice. If they are in a class with other kids like them, they may be more likely try without feeling stupid. If they cant hack that then try and teach them a trade / skill.
At some point we as a country have to make choices for the betterment of these children. The few troubled children are only troubled because their parents cant do any better for them, so what do you do with them? How can a parent explain algebra when they have a hard time with addition?.
If you knew the slightest thing about education you would know that putting all low achievers in one class is simply wrong.
The problem is that there are so many industries built around children who behave poorly, as well as those who have ADHD, ASLD, PHFD, IUED, SMSCD, and so on and so forth (by the way, after ADHD all other acronyms were made up – so don’t go looking for them on the internet) that to dismantle the whole industry is akin to dismantling Mount Trashmore. Easy money to be made by those who like to talk a lot and solve very little. 50 to 70 years ago there were far fewer specialists flying around these kids like vultures, preying on them to make money. Discipline at home and at school kept the kids in line. Now, we spend millions of dollars with to show for – all we hear is talk, talk, and more talk. Though it may not solve all problems, bringing back the stick would bring about a 75% reduction of all diagnosed and undiagnosed cases. Hallellujah, it’s a miracle – half the island no longer has ADHD!!! Buy my ADHD, ASLD, PHFD, IUED, SMSCD problem solver for only $2.99 plus shipping and handling. Immediate and incredible results! Miraculously increases Homework completion rate by 95%. NoMo behaviours! NoMo problems! NoMo disrespectful brats who think that they can do as they please!
Ozzie, is that you?
No, it’s not Ozzie, but thanks for the laugh!
Yes, I can see that the ones who voted thumbs down are the same pecker heads who are responsible for the state that we’re currently in. You know, the ones whose kids throw rocks at others, but can’t be told anything in case that you damage their self esteem. The ones whose kids vandalize other people’s property out of boredom and are rewarded for a job well done. The ones whose kids are so rude and ornery that would make a grown man blush – and when parents are told about it they deny that their child could ever do such a thing. The ones whose little snot noses end up in jail as large snot noses – and goodness, gracious, wouldn’t you know that the first thing that these parents claim is that their little snot nose, now turned big snot nose, is a good child who is God-fearing and the darnest, goodest, bestest child that humanity has ever known. Oh yeah, and if it is true that he/she committed the crime, it must have been because of their ADHD. Like I said, buy my simple ADHD buster for only $2.99 plus shipping and handling and you’ll be surprised at the instantly, amazing results. Money Back Guaranteed!
Stay off the liquor. Its seeping into your brain! Seriously. You are out of touch with reality, big time.
Apparently, it’s you who is out of touch. Nonetheless, kindly entertain us and let me know what exactly I’m out of touch with. If you have a point to make, please make it – don’t just call people names. So let’s hear it.
At John Gray the majority of the children are no longer Caymanian and the parents hold work permits and they pay CI$800 to send their kids to our public schools to destroy them.
If the parents don’t care about their children then how do you expect the kids to act.
You MUST be a troll, 10:07. No one could be THAT stupid.
We need more Caymanian male teachers and more male role models. The female teachers can’t handle these out of control children. If we start from the bottom and have Caymanian male teachers, it will help to guide them from the time they are young.
And from where do tou propose we find these male Caymanian teachers? It is not a profession that is attractive in Cayman. It is virtually all Jamaican now because you treat teachers so badly that other expats do not come. No one tells you before coming to cayman that your salary will never go up, that your end of contract flights only materialise not at the end of each contract but when you leave the island for good, that your luggage allowance is halved when you are returning to your home country, that some children cannot be disciplined because they are well connected, that Caymanian teachers cannot be sacked, that you are required to cover for their constant absences, that bullying and racism is common place among staff. Word has gone far and wide that Cayman is not a good place to come and teach and respect to the Jamaicans economic migrants who come to teach as without them our schools would have to close.
No get Eastern European teachers or teachers from real poverty stricken areas or inner city teachers that actually know how to handle these privileged little snots. They may have things difficult and may be classed as poor (in cayman) but they will never have things as difficult as a real third world child.
The teachers aren’t there to give them stories but to show them, no matter how bad you feel you are there is always someone worse off and if you want to end up like them continue. If you want the nice life govt has promised then pay attention to the lesson in the classroom.
These teachers can be male, female, ex military, 6’5 350lbs, you get the idea. Teachers that demand respect. Not the ‘I graduated last year and I’m bright eyed and bushy tailed’
Any child can learn anything if enough attention is paid to them.
I wager you never taught.
We need more CAYMANIAN teachers, PERIOD.
Yes we do but where are you going to magic them from?
How can you parent children when you choose not to be around them? Many children (Caymanian and expat) on this island are victims of absentee parenting. The helpers are trying to raise them but failing because the parents have failed to instill the basic fundamentals of respect and common decency in them. I spoke to a man whose parenting I have witnessed firsthand and asked him for his best parenting tip, he simply explained that as parents you must first be present and positively involved in the lives of your children. No one can say that having the helper raise your child is a reflection of good parenting. With a lack of actual policing partnered with poor parenting, these islands are doomed.
The kids with full time helpers are not the kids going to John Gray. They are the kids at the private schools.
You are correct. It is often the helpers kids’ that go to John Grey.
Poor people can’t afford helpers. These are children that are getting no guidance. Having a helper is better than having no one at all.
That’s why the kids call the helper “mommy”. LMAO Parenting today has gone WAY down, both from the poorer population and especially on the wealthy side. I say especially with the wealthy because if you have money but no time to spend with your kids you are no better than the poor who work for scraps and never have time for their kids because they work 2-3 jobs. Truth is the wealthy people don’t want to spend time with their kids, hence the 2-3 helpers they hire. Jus’ sayin’.
YEs that sad they are blaming the Ministry. I say blame Babies having babies. People that have no parenting skills trying to parent. Many of out chidlren are so OUT OF CONTROL it is very difficult for them to learn. Our kids are rude, spoilt , rotting little brats who need discipline and stop blaming the govt
Are there no fights or issues at Clifton Hunter? Funny how two teachers there were hospitalized some time ago but for some reason that wasn’t newsworthy. How come the good news coming out of JGHS is buried? Fair and balanced, CNS, fair and balanced.
CNS: We can only report on news that we hear about. It’s called a news tip.
I totally agree and have been saying this all along. The same and worse happen at Clifton Hunter and the private schools weekly and not a peep about them. Are the people in George Town and West Bay the only ones who talk? Make a call to RCIPS and let them tell you how many reports they attend at the Private schools. Come on let’s have some fair and balanced reporting here. Seems like the Private schools business is just that “PRIVATE” and public schools …….!!!
JGHS has been protected by a Ministry that has not wanted to be made public the various reports forever damning of its leadership. Another report is about to be published once the final doctoring takes place to ensure that it coincides with what Minister Rivers wants it to show. I might add her original intention was to show it in all its glory but once the head of JGHS was made Acting CEO they had to quickly readjust their position to make the appointment more palatable. This time though I expect the original report will not make it to LA.
You know back when I went to CIHS , Mr. Whiteside was the discipline master. He use to walk around the compound with a strap and if you were not where you should be, he would beat you then and there. If you saw any teacher during lunch breaks you had better show respect. The School had discipline and it did not hurt anyone, plus you did not have these issues of course I am speaking of the 80s & 90s. Bring back the BELT what don’t kill you will make you stronger but to be honest the parents need a good belting too. just saying
You need to get with times. Taser the little burgers. That will make them think twice.
@6:33 am. This is one of the funniest comments I’ve seen on CNS. I hate to use the term, but I literally ‘LOL’d’ when I read it. You made my morning!
Thanks!
Its true, I have never seen a tasered “burger” misbehave!
Most people in Cayman, including many posters to this site, do not realize how totally, utterly useless and uncaring many of the parents are. Most of the problem kids have no real father and the desperately unhappy mothers don’t know how to cope so go out and get their jollies by having a child with yet another different man. Idiots who say bring back the strap have NO idea what our schools, kids and parents are like. It doesn’t help that we have local lightweights in the senior positions in Education but they did not cause all the problems, they just have no clue how to even think about formulating solutions.
It is too late. In the late 70’s early 80’s the people warned for the forming of gangs.
The political, school and religious leaders didn’t listen.
Now it is too late. The early gangster are now in their 40’s and running a tight ship. Infiltration in schools is vital for the gangs. That is were the new recruits are and the market for new drug addicts.
We have to accept that we live in an gang controlled environment.
Thanks to politicians and ignorant church people.
Which gangs are they? I keep hearing about them but no one, including McK Bush seems to be able to pin them down. I suspect they are pier groups who have one thing in common, poor parenting, dysfunctional families, poor educational achievement and mostly no mobility within society. It makes perfect sense to be in a gang when it offers protection, inclusion and a sense of belonging.
If they are pier groups they should be out building the cruise berthing facility. A you dat Tru Tru?
Rhetoric bull,behavior contracts ha ha ha, parents worrying about their kids being excluded not today bobo, 3 specialist behaviour positions that will be filled from within by already ineffective management and as for a coherent policy…our schools are managed by the Ministry,rules ,employment contracts, behaviour contracts and all. There in lies the problems facing our society, unrealistic expectations from people whom don’t know reality, just what they think makes them appear they are doing something. Rhetoric bull as I said at the star!
Why isn’t anyone getting expelled here? Implement 3 strikes and you are expelled, maybe not for ever, but wth clearly defined goals and requirements with one being be Ming trends with each other “just a suggestion.”
the problem is they expel the bad youths and then send them to Clifton Hunter the next week…which does not make sense they still have issues and are now contaminating those kids trying to learn there.
Expulsion from JGHS for multiple bad behaviour incidents should mean disqualification from CHHS. I’m not talking about a one-off incident. Otherwise, it’s just moving the problem around.
Maybe this will “encourage” some of these parents to start parenting… They’ll know that they can’t afford to have their kids misbehaving. Who knows, maybe the private schools might not take them either.
Maybe 3 months home with their parents having to deal with that will bring about change for parent and child. You’ll have a lot of catching up to do after that buddy!
Expelling them only makes things worse because then they have nothing to do. “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”
This is exactly what the children want – to be expelled. Then they are left at home to their own devices around the wrong kind of company
Reintroduce the strap, it didn’t kill me! Bracka
When the strap was removed, the devil took over. Why do people blame the teachers, and not the parents. Are those behavioural problems created in schools or in the homes? Parents should be responsible for their children, try and get to the bottom of their anger and be more informed.
The belieft that the “devil took over” is hardly an informed opinion.
Let the school handle these issues without it being splashed across the media. But handle it they must!
bring back Jah T asap!!
OK, but can Immigration help as well in some cases?
Need to kick out some of these expat teachers, adend it to their contracts that they are not allowed any opinion on management..
No, 3:28. They are Caymanians-born ones. Where are you going to send them to?
Actually no. Until recently most children in one Government school were born elsewhere, and many are not Caymanian. Thanks Mac!
What’s wrong with reporting this in the media? You prefer that it stay hush hush for what reason?
No, the country needs to know what lackluster job Tara Rivers and the management of the schools are doing. They need to introduce a no tolerance policy and stick to it no matter whose kid it is!
You can employ all the specialists you like, unless there is a coherent policy, that is implemented, backed up by senior staff and teachers support it will make no difference. Aside from that we should not be concentrating on the children’s behaviour, but on the management of our schools, the management of our school system and the enforcement of sanctions.
3 new jobs created according to local advertisements. Behavior in the schools to be improved by putting more bodies in the school to deal with those with problems being caused by difficult students. These students are now redefined as “inclusions”.
Although once hailed as a way to increase achievement while decreasing costs, full inclusion does not save money, reduce students’ needs, or improve academic outcomes; in most cases, it merely moves the special education professionals out of their own classrooms and into a corner of the general classroom. To avoid harm to the academic education of students with disabilities, a full panoply of services and resources is required!
So do tell. What are the consequences for misbehaving??????
If every time a young person misbehaved, parents were inconvenienced by having to attend school for a meeting else their child would be excluded, I wager there would be a different attitude. Instead you get parents who collude with their off spring’s bad behaviour and think its ok to disrespect their teachers and their fellow students.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again. Parents need to start parenting their children.