Some reasons for violence by students

Violent behaviour is increasing among children and adolescents.

And school violence is not limited to the student population.

Teachers say they are threatened with violence on school grounds.

Today there is easy access to weapons. Father of the Nation Dr Eric Williams, who said students “carry the future of Trinidad and Tobago in your school bags,” would be surprised to find some of those bags now contain guns, knives, drugs and pornographic material.

Children are exposed to too much media violence. There is an abundance of violence on the television. Even the cartoons are violent. And the Internet, which plays a significant role in all of our lives, features video games with high levels of realistic violence.

Cell phone text messaging and email provide additional platforms to support cyberbullying which is when the electronic media are used to taut, insult or threaten.

But how come violence only occurs at certain schools in particular locations? These schools do not make headlines academically but do so due to violence. It is not common at the single-sex, religious-based prestige schools.

Leadership is what is important.

When Minister of Education Anthony Garcia was at a certain college, school violence was non-existent there. It still does not exist at that particular college.

Ever wondered why that is so? A teacher is not supposed to do the job of parents. Today both parents work or some children are raised by a single parent.

Drug abuse by parents, domestic violence and the presence of guns in the home encourage children to follow their parents’ footsteps.

As a lecturer I can educate, shelter and discipline my students but it is difficult to play multiple roles as educator, surrogate parent, social service and law enforcement agency.

AV RAMPERSAD Princes Town