By FRANCIS JOSEPH
It is a subject that will not go away! Violence in schools and young people attracted to join gangs! School violence was rampant in and outside the school compound until 2025 when the Prime Minister ordered police officers to be deployed to high risk schools.
That worked to a large extent, but you cannot get rid of all the violence, just as you cannot get rid of all the crime.
But the idea is one of containment. There has been a big reduction in school violence ever since five school girls were charged before the court for assault outside a school in Couva in 2025.
Minister of Education, Dr Michael Dowlath, said this week that school violence had decreased, however, classroom incidents have increased.
He added, “Incidents during class time, with a member of staff present, rose from 401 to 544. This tells us that while supervision outside the classroom has improved, behavioural pressure has shifted into the classroom, which directly impacts teaching quality.”
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC responded a day later. She said, “These incidents should be addressed with expulsion, in my personal view. If a student cannot behave properly when a teacher is present, you can only imagine how much worse they behave when unsupervised.
It’s time for the parents of this minority of misbehaving students to take responsibility for their children’s behaviour and find some alternative for them to do if they cannot behave appropriately at school.
“We can’t let a small minority of children continue disrespecting teachers and disrupting the students who want to learn. However, many of them are simply replicating the bad behaviour of their parents and others at home.
My Government will help those who want to help themselves. If you want to be misbehaved, lazy and undisciplined, you are on your own.”
The PM added, “I urge young people to get serious about life. When you waste your educational opportunities and fail your exams, your future will be very difficult because your earning potential will be very limited. The only job options available for persons who don’t pass their exams are low-paying menial jobs or becoming PNM MPs.”
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles accused Persad-Bissessar of being “dangerously disconnected from reality,” after the Prime Minister suggested that incidents of classroom violence should result in students being expelled.
Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, a former PNM Education Minister, posted on Facebook, “Kamla…if you were not an old lady, I would tell you where to haul a body part which we all hold dear.”
Gadsby-Dolly described the PM’s statement as “totally disrespectful and shameful.”
The Reality
History and records show that young people, who fall away from school, join gangs and relish the fast life.
The vast majority of young people are not involved in gangs and want nothing to do with them. However, the behaviour of the small number of young people who are involved has a significant impact on communities, on their families and associates, as well as themselves.
Why do young people join gangs? Young people join gangs for reasons which make sense to them, if not to adults. Some reasons why young people may join a gang are:
* Respect and status
* To gain friends
* A sense of belonging
* Excitement
* To find a substitute family
* Power
* Protection
* Money
* Peer pressure
Parents are advised to keep an eye on their children.
Any sudden changes in your child’s lifestyle should be discussed. Signs may include: Specific dress style, Poor behaviour, talking differently, a new slang or language with an aggressive tone, poor school results, or skipping school, and carrying weapons, unexplained injuries or sums of money, staying out unusually late, graffiti style tags on possessions, and interest in music which glorifies weapons/gang culture.
But not only boys are attracted to gangs. Girls too. Girls can be affected by gangs, but their involvement may be harder to spot. They may be asked to hide weapons or drugs, or be targeted by male gang members in acts of revenge or gang initiations. History has shown this in Trinidad and Tobago where females accompany their male counterparts to commit crimes, including murder.
Girls who are linked to gang members (sisters, girlfriends, friends, cousins, daughters) as well as female gang members themselves, are at risk of emotional, physical and sexual violence. Many girls who are involved with gangs may believe that what they are being pressured, forced or choosing to do is acceptable, even normal.
They may not realize that what is happening to them is wrong; they may be afraid of what might happen if they tell anyone and/or they may think that no one will believe or protect them.
Some signs that a girl you know might be involved with a gang include:
* changes in physical appearance (for example wearing more adult clothes, or wearing baggy clothes and no make up)
* Unexplained money or possessions
* Getting involved in fights
* Committing crimes such as shoplifting
* Regularly staying out late or going missing from home
* Abusing drugs and/or alcohol
* Physical injuries (which may indicate violence from others and/or self-harming)
* Refusing to seek medical help for such injuries and becoming fearful and/or withdrawn and/or prone to unexplained outbursts of anger.
What You Can do
There are things you can do to help stop your child from being involved in gangs. But it is a difficult task, according to some parents who spoke with Sunshine Today. Most of those spoken to have sons or daughters tied up with gangs in certain high risk area.
They suggest that parents should talk to your child and listen. “Encourage them to get involved in positive activities and to think about their future. Get involved in your child’s school activities. Know your child’s friends and their families.
Always know where your child is and who they are with. Help them to cope with pressure and how to deal with conflict without use of violence. Speak to them about the serious consequences that occur from violent or illegal behaviour.
They continued, “Help them to understand the dangers of being in a gang and find constructive alternative ways to use their time. Keep lines of communication open. Be aware of what your child is doing on the internet. Look for ways of disciplining children that do not involve harshness, anger or violence.
Work with other parents and schools to watch their behaviour.
“If your child is already involved in a gang, they may not want to talk about it or be scared. It is important that they know you want to listen and support them. Make sure they know they have a choice.
Don’t be afraid of confrontation, but try not to approach them with anger and accusations. Try to understand the situation from their point of view and why they have joined the gang. Ask them what you can do to help. Try to agree about what they should do next. Work with them to find solutions and choices.”
Failure to do so could lead to disastrous consequences for families. Children being killed, injured, arrested and charged, and sentenced to long prison terms.
The choice is yours, parents!
