The views expressed herein are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of One News SVG. The writer would like to remain anonymous.
I am the mother of three boys who attended a primary school in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. For more than a decade, I have experienced what I believe to be unfair treatment of my children by the school administration. Despite repeatedly reporting incidents and seeking help, I feel that my concerns have been ignored while my children have often been blamed and punished.
My concerns began in 2012 when my eldest son started attending this school. From the beginning, I noticed a pattern. When other students mistreated him, I was rarely informed. However, whenever he reacted or defended himself, I was immediately contacted and he was punished. I repeatedly had to visit the school because I encouraged my son not to allow others to bully or abuse him. Yet, while his actions were closely monitored, the actions of those who provoked him appeared to go unaddressed.
One of the most serious incidents occurred when my son was in Grade 3. I received a call from my mother informing me that she was at the hospital with him. Another student had sprayed Clorox into his eyes. My mother found him unable to properly open his eyes and in obvious distress. As a result of that incident, my son suffered lasting damage to his eyesight. His left eye was particularly affected, leaving him partially blind and requiring prescription glasses and eye drops. To this day, he continues to experience difficulties with his vision. Despite the seriousness of the incident, I did not receive what I considered to be an adequate response from the school. No compensation was offered, and I felt that no meaningful action was taken regarding the student responsible.
Throughout my son’s years at this school, I was repeatedly asked whether I wanted him transferred. However, I did not want to remove him from the school. I simply wanted him to be treated fairly and protected in the same way that other children were protected.
When my second son attended this school, many of the same issues continued. I often had to visit because I would receive calls whenever he was involved in an incident. My second son was known for standing up for himself and refusing to tolerate mistreatment. Later, when my youngest son enrolled, he became the target of bullying by other students. His older brother frequently stepped in to defend him.
One incident remains especially painful. My youngest son was deliberately soaked with water by another student. In response, my second son held the student while his younger brother poured water back on him. Following this incident, my last son was taken to the office by security personnel and was severely beaten. He was left crying while his older brother witnessed what happened. I considered the punishment excessive and unfair.
On another occasion, my child had a tooth knocked out by another student. When I went to the school seeking answers, I was told not to encourage fighting. Yet I could not understand why the school discouraged physical punishment while at the same time administering physical punishment to my own child. When I expressed my frustration, a teacher at the school responded by saying, “Mommy, you need a transfer letter?” I found this response dismissive and hurtful.
The problems continued over the years. My children repeatedly came home reporting incidents involving other students. I sent messages to teachers and visited the school in person seeking assistance. However, I felt that little was done. At the same time, whenever one of my children reacted to mistreatment, I would receive calls and be told that my child was troublesome.
More recently, I was informed that my son had allegedly broken another student’s glasses. However, after the accusation was made, nothing further came of the matter.
A week before last, another disturbing incident occurred. My son returned home upset and informed me that a parent had entered the school compound and confronted him aggressively regarding an issue involving adults in a group chat. According to my son, the encounter left him frightened and in tears. I immediately reported the matter to the school. However, I felt that no action was taken and that my concerns were not addressed.
Most recently, while I was at work, my mother called me after noticing that my son’s teeth appeared loose, his nose was bruised, and his lip was bruised and swollen. I attempted to contact the school and his teacher but received no response. The following day, my mother and sister visited the school seeking answers. They were reportedly told that the school “can’t kill the child” and that there was little they could do. Once again, I felt that the seriousness of the situation was being dismissed.
After years of incidents involving injuries, bullying, punishment, and what I believe to be unequal treatment, I have become deeply frustrated and concerned for the safety and well-being of my children. My greatest concern is that reports involving harm done to my children have often been minimised, while incidents involving their reactions have received immediate attention.
I am sharing my experience because I believe every child deserves to attend school in a safe environment, free from bullying, violence, and unequal treatment. Parents deserve to have their concerns taken seriously, and children deserve fair treatment regardless of their reputation or past mistakes.
I hope that by speaking out, my concerns will finally be heard and that steps will be taken to ensure that no other child or parent experiences what my family has endured over the years.
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