Grammar School Student Offers Solutions to Growing Violence Crisis

The views expressed herein are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of One News SVG.

This article is not about having or not having police in schools. It is a call to give ear to students’ concerns and reasonable recommendations on dealing with violence in schools. After all, they are in the “kitchen, feeling the heat”.

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to serve on a panel of judges for an internal public speaking competition organized by the hardworking English department of the St. Vincent Grammar School.

Six young men, in the presence of their peers and teachers, vied for the title to represent their school at the national competition slated for the upcoming school year. Their performance, especially on the main topic, was well researched, excellent, and thoroughly engaging. The students argued that “ School violence is no longer a distant threat but a frightening reality; it exposes a deep-seated decline in our social, familial, and educational foundations, demanding immediate and decisive action.”

They argued that violence in schools takes many forms including bullying, physical fights, verbal threats and cyberbullying. The students sought to lay the axe at the root, urging us to consider the role of various institutions – the home, the school, the Church, the community. One student, Mowani Latham, moved us to tears with a presentation that touched the innermost cords of the heart. The politicians speak. The psychologists speak. The social commentators share their views.

Educators discuss and seek solutions, but it certainly hits home differently when it comes from a student. Mowani urged the listeners to consider the reasons for violence among school youth:

“To understand the ‘why’, we must look at where it begins. How is the family to be blamed? The home is a child’s first classroom. Psychologists often note that ‘children learn what they live’. If a child grows up in an environment where anger is the only language spoken, where neglect is the norm, or where conflict is constant, they begin to believe that violence is a valid tool for communication. When they arrive at school, they aren’t just bringing their bag packs; they are bringing the trauma and behavioral patterns of their household.”

Mowani showed the impact of society and social media in glorifying violent acts, and he warned against the attending desensitization of the youth’s mind. He encouraged his peers to practise self-control.

Imploring us to look at the role of the school and church, he argued: “…we cannot place all of the blame on the home and the streets. We must look at our educational institutions. Why are the students disengaged? We must address the relevance of some subjects to the actual needs of young people. When a student feels that the curriculum has no bearing on their survival or their future career, they become frustrated. Boredom and a lack of purpose are the breeding grounds for mischief.”

The passionate student made a serious appeal for more counsellors and trained professionals in schools to give effective and loving guidance to the youth.

“We are suffering from a lack of empathetic counsellors. We have many teachers who can tell us the value of x in an equation, but we have too few professionals trained to help us find the value of ourselves. A student who is hurting inside needs an ear to listen, not just a hand to sign a detention slip.”

He also called on the church to provide moral guidance and good role models and to  “ collaborate with the schools to provide mentorship programs and safe spaces where students can learn values like humility, forgiveness, and patience.”

Mowani did not stop short of admonishing his peers to stay away from violent activities.

“I want to speak directly to my peers. We must change the mindset that violence equals power. Violence is not strength. Noise is not power. Fear is not respect. Real strength is the courage to walk away. Real power is the ability to master your own emotions. As Nelson Mandela famously said ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ But if our schools remain battlegrounds, that weapon becomes blunt. Let us turn our schools back into places of growth. We are not here to fight each other; we are here to fight for our futures. Every single student deserves to walk into school feeling safe…not scared.”

Would the stakeholders in education consider Mowani’s appeal?  He expressed the inward plea of many youth. Not only did he elucidate the problem, but he proposed pragmatic solutions. Lend him your ear.

By Ann-Marie Ballantyne.

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