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Springer Memorial School Wrapper Update: The Education System Enters Its Darkest Hour

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Pauline Benjamin - Principal, Springer Memorial Secondary School
Pauline Benjamin – Principal, Springer Memorial Secondary School

BU will not write too much about this except to beg for urgent divine intervention. As adults we are morally and legally bound to be caretakers of our children. What has transpired so far at Springer Memorial School involving a minor and a student is an indictment on all of us. All of us.

The emotional scaring that continues to accrue to this child begs for an immediate intervention from someone, any bloody one. Are we a society? Are we focussed only on the economy? What say you Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart? You boasted how you had to intervene to resolve the Alexandra issue. Do something! Rescue your minister Ronald Jones, AGAIN.  We await the management style you will select to resolve this issue. You are the prime minister you know.

Police respond to incident involving Springer student

Added 08 February 2016

elecia-weekes-and-daughter

Elecia Weekes (centre) embracing her daughter outside the school gates. At left is Shelly Ross. (Picture by Xtra Vision Photography.)

POLICE WERE CALLED in at the Springer Memorial Secondary School this morning when the saga surrounding the 14-year-old schoolgirl took another turn.

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The child and her mother, Elecia Weekes, have been involved in a disciplinary row with the principal, which has resulted in her being out of the classroom for almost eight weeks.

Weekes called the police after she said her daughter was escorted to the gates by principal Pauline Bellamy and asked to take off her uniform. She has refused a transfer to Ellerslie Secondary and was told by Bellamy last week that the child is no longer on the roll at Springer and would be trespassing if she returned.

Police from District “A” responded and advised the family, which is being supported by children’s rights advocate Shelly Ross, to take the matter to the Ministry of Education. They are now awaiting word on when they will be able to meet with chief education officer Karen Best. (YB)

– See more at: http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/77607/police-respond-incident-involving-springer-student#sthash.L1FwfmNO.dpuf

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547 responses to “Springer Memorial School Wrapper Update: The Education System Enters Its Darkest Hour”

  1. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    The problem in Education and the wider public service is that politicians get involved in the recruitment and promotion of public servants. All of the recent promotions in Education were influenced by politicians that is why we have these problem of misfits in these important jobs.

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  2. David Avatar
    David

    The other big question is what was the transfer process utilized by the MoE.

  3. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Maybe in protest, if people so wish to get SOMETHING done, young ladies all over can on the weekend wear Springer uniforms.

    Not so?

    You have to learn how to make an impression and make a protest, peacefully, but getting the point across.

  4. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    The principal ‘s children were educated at Queens College. Does anyone believe that any principal would have dared to treat her children like she has this child?

  5. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Kevin February 8, 2016 at 6:51 PM #
    “If she dont accept and it was me in charge, I would put her right at HC or QC and hopes she ‘steps-up’.”

    Tsk tsk, Kevin the kindhearted one!
    And all along we were under the impression that all secondary schools ‘were’ equal. What a major disappointment to find out that there are still massive social dichotomies in the teaching and learning environment at the secondary school level. Elitist Barbados of Victorian times still rules supreme on the Farm of Animals where some secondary school students are more equal than those who attend the Springer Memorial.

    It’s a pity the schoolgirl currently under the spotlight of snobbery is not a potentially outstanding athlete like Akela Jones whose birth mother would have given that same teacher a real dressing down of Bajan proportions.
    The question to you dear pompous prick Kevin and those of similar ilk is why did the teacher pick on that school girl. Why not the one next to or behind her?

  6. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    This Education ministry is a war zone created by the worst minister ever. Almost all of the professionals have gone and left the ministry to Jones and his lackies.

    No one in their right mind would ever have imagined that a woman like Karen Best would ever become the chief education officer. She is Jones’ lackie and does his bidding. The woman is incompetent and does not know anything about the job she landed because of politics.

    We are in deep do do.

  7. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Miller

    You have a point. Students who went to particular schools from first to fifth form were not accepted into the sixth form in preference for athletes from other schools, who did not get as good grades as those who were refused entry. The principals want to win the sports.

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  8. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    How could the Ministry transfer a child without the parent ‘s signed consent? When your child is offered a place at a school, you the parent have to sign a form accepting the placement.

    This is all wrong. If this were my child, hell no, Ronald Jones, Karen Best or Pauline Benjamin would not have gotten away with this. …..hell no.

  9. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Crusoe February 8, 2016 at 7:53 PM #
    “You have to learn how to make an impression and make a protest, peacefully, but getting the point across.”

    When and where do you know change came about through peaceful protest?

    Oh, yes there was! Just check out the following:
    Wilberforce & Clarkson, Clement Payne and King ‘Hogfood’ Dyall, Marcus Garvey, Medgar Evers, Rosa Parks, MKL and EWB ‘fighting ‘for Independence for Bim on the doorsteps of Whitehall.

    Ample opportunity for lawbreaker Jones the caricature of the town crier on morality and the poster boy for ‘edikation’ to crack some heads and kill a few Zika carriers.

  10. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    I wonder if anyone taped the interactions between the Principal, the student and the mother. It might be very instructive to learn exactly what was said in the heat of the exchanges.

    The public relations of the Ministry of Education in this matter has been atrocious and I wonder who advised the mother to bring her child back to the school after receiving the letter that she had been transferred without presumably threshing the matter out at the highest levels of the MoE before doing so.

    Seems like the resultant confrontation was planned and the Principal fell into the trap.

  11. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    @ millertheanunnaki, its the mother herself who is putting down some schools. Didnt you hear what she said when offered the transfer? She said it would be a ‘step-down’. Her words, not mines.

    I dont think the teacher was picking on the child. She was probably the person closest to the wrapper or something like that. Why didnt the child just pick it up and be over with it. One measly wrapper, chupse. When I went school we as students picked up trash, scrubed our desk, even painted our class room back in secondary school. We didnt kick up a fuss, we had gladly did it and had lots of fun because it was our classroom, our school.

  12. curious Avatar
    curious

    The Principal of the school is being slandered by the mother of this child. The child was never escorted to the gate by the Principal or told to take off her clothes. Come on adults, do you really believe that a Principal would take a girl child to a gate and ask her to take off her clothes on Government Hill. The Principal would have to be mad. The different media is just taking what the mother is saying as gospel. Maybe you should ask the lady Shelly Ross if that story is true and then we would see where she also stands with the truth

  13. curious Avatar
    curious

    Mrs. Benjamin is a very student friendly Principal and many parents will tell you she is never confrontational. The parents are the ones who are confrontational because she stands by principles. She is being demonized by people who do not know what they are talking about

  14. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Caswell Franklyn,

    “The problem in Education and the wider public service is that politicians get involved in the recruitment and promotion of public servants. All of the recent promotions in Education were influenced by politicians that is why we have these problem of misfits in these important jobs.”
    Caswell, you are absolutely correct.
    Those who think that Jones started the politics at the MOE are out of touch with reality. All the Ministers brought in their people from BOTH administrations. They hand pick the principals and the education officers. Those who are independent opt for transfer or retirement. So all of this coming out in the wash. All Jones is doing is carrying on the established culture that has seen too many square pegs in round holes. The MOE is no different from the NCC just better educated /qualified yard fowls. Many teachers refused promotion because of the politics under BOTH administrations. that is why holding up Miller and TUll as outstanding is a lavish joke(David). They all did exactly what Jones doing.
    Mia Mottley was a prime example , she went in there demanding that her party people be given headships. Pot calling kettel black again. The truth…..slowly but surely . The walls will fall down.

  15. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    This is all so unfair to the child’s welfare and well being.In the middle of her secondary experience,she will be separated from her class mates of 3 years acquaintance,all of what the youngsters refer to as ‘best friends’,now to re-uniformed and outfitted for another school,be an object of derision for the next few weeks,and must carry on as though nothing as traumatic took place.
    For sure if the principal had to deal with bajan patsy,a few brassbowls and a few gaulblinyuhs and few chukwholes and it would have been goodnite nurse.Worse if she decided to bring along a few frenz to back she up wid a good ole time bajan bewzin coming from every corner ‘o springer.

  16. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    So William Skinner do you think another author is going to entertain us soon with some hitherto unknown but truthful experiences in the MoE.Let the dogs out!

  17. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @David, your statement “Isn’t there a law which stipulates a child cannot be out of school for more than …” tells the real story here and followed with Caswell’s remarks about the abuse in the school system is a very damning indictment.

    You often make the comment that we have wasted the millions of $$ on our education over the years and when we can chronicle such an abject case of mismanagement of education BY education managers things real, real dred. Real money wasted and being wasted continually.

    Is the principal, school Board and the Ministry officers going to be held to account for depriving a student EIGHT weeks of her education due to a simple matter of discipline?

    How many education specialists at Erdiston or UWI have counselled teachers and principals at course after course on students rights, resolution tactics and de-escalating problems?

    How does one move from a ‘minor’ disciplinary matter to a transfer to another school?

    And did I read correctly that the mother had problems with the principle at Ellerslie with her son…so is this a feisty family who take BS from no one, or what?

    And of course the question dying to be answered: would this happen to a upper class member of society?

    We can talk about Ms. Tudor, Tank, Pilly, Barker or Joe Physics to the cows come home and yes that was a different time but remember those folks had their ‘intractable’ student issues too. This is not about the Tudor et al era vrs this era or about discipline per se.

    This is just absolute nonsense… and about personal slights of petty people who resort to stupid, mean childish behaviour.

    So frankly, on occasions like this we see that the credentials of these Chief Ed Officers, Principals et al is worth not one damn thing…When they want to be petty and dig in heels irrationally they do!!

    ….8 weeks out of school ! over a piece of garbage and disobedience. Wha loss.

    What a awesome paper in conflict management at the next teacher’s ‘PROFESSIONAL’ day. oh lawd!

    That this little cut has become so bad is a clear indicator that these educators are absolutely incapable of administering the medical care needed… no wonder there is rampant disarray with sex, lack of basic nutrition, fighting and a general malaise at several secondary schools.

  18. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    A TALE OF THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG

    THE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS ARE NOW RUNNING THE SCHOOLS

    GUESS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

    MORE IDIOTS WILL BE RUNNING THINGS IN BIM.

    THANK GOD FOR THE IMMINENT RAPTURE

  19. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    SEND THE GIRL TO HARSUNS KOLIJ DO!

  20. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Sanky is right…Pamela Tudor had a very level head and would never have let it escalate to this point, that child would certainly have not been out of school for that length of time, you do not punish children by violating their right to an education.

  21. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    caribbeantradelaw February 8, 2016 at 6:17 PM #

    “@David, I agree completely with your sentiments. That this matter has been allowed to fester and escalate is truly ridiculous. All the while this child is being victimised and denied the right to an education.

    @ caribbeantradelaw

    You have my support as well. And what is more ridiculous is the principal escorting the student to the gate, while requesting her to take off the uniform. Now that is the height of stupidity.

    Was the girl to remain outside the school premises clad in a bra and panty until someone came to give her clothes?

    However, based on the behaviour exhibited by the student’s mother and the principal, I’m truly amazed why many are continuing to dispute why the girl refused to pick up the candy wrapper.

  22. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Miller….I know you don’t know, but Akela Jones was also mistreated at Springer, I don’t know if it was the same principal, but something is wrong with the attitudes of those who should know better……Akela is strong and rose above the wickedness….she is rising to phenomenal heights, not because of, but in spite of those who wanted to bring her down.

  23. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Yardfowlism and political idiots with no conflict resolution skills will be the death of that island.

  24. curious Avatar
    curious

    You political fanatics who make everything political. There is no politics here. Have you considered that the Ministry would have been given a detail report of the actions of the mother over the years. Suppose she sought to be disruptive of the school over the years

  25. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Curious….none of the ministers, or school officials are that competent on the island….there are 12-14 year olds out of school that no one follows up on…it’s nice though, that you can engage in wishful thinking.

  26. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @Curious…your comment is a true LOLLL moment. You said “There is no politics here” and then proceeded by your remarks to DEFINE exactly what is ‘politics’ .

    Let there be ‘understanding’ here den… cause politics is not only about talking shiiite on a big podium in front a group of citizens and doing a lot of shiiite supposedly in support of one party or other.

    POLITICS …is the practice and theory of influencing other people – (as or related to citizens).

    That is one practical (broad , yes) definition and that is EXACTLY what you are suggesting with the comment: “…the Ministry [could] have been given a detail report of the actions of the mother over the years.”

    So according to your perspective I could restate as “[this is] about personal slights of petty people who resort to stupid, mean childish behaviour”. Incidentally, that too can be another definition of ‘politics’. LOLLLL

    BTW, let’s just suppose you are correct e some report on this parent, WHY would any previous report result in the child and parent being victimized like this? Do you realize that you would thus be labeling the Ministry as judge, jury and executioner with such a remark. Petty and vindictive in other words.

    Be careful …English is a very dangerous language!

  27. curious Avatar
    curious

    Where is your condemnation of the adults who assault these said 12- 14 year old in Barbados get them pregnant and don’t spend a day in prison. Don’t only condemn the education officials only.
    And by the way school attendance officers check up on every child reported to be not at school for a prolong time

  28. Alden Blackman Avatar
    Alden Blackman

    @Prodigal Son

    In order to affect a change in Barbados to injustice, we must get way pass the saying what you said, “if she were my child” the people must stop accepting injustices to fellow-man, there are some Black people in this Country that enjoy a high social status, whose speck out could put a halt to these injustices when started and directed toward the low social status black Bajans by the black Bajans that happen to get farther up in social status pole but they avert and become silent, but the saying today it me, tomorrow who knows,

    @ Miller

    How many people did EWB beat to get independence for Barbados? EWB wanted to be the first Prime Minister of Barbados ( history ) he asked, independence was willingly given.

  29. curious Avatar
    curious

    As Georgie Said if the mother is cantankerous and always sought to be anti school it would her doing the child a disservice not anyone else.

  30. curious Avatar
    curious

    Talking about social status
    The cantankerous parents do not go to HC and QC and behave bad because they do not want their children shame.
    Check the schools that are always highlighted by the media with cantankerous parents and children
    Parkinson, Springer, St Lucy Grantley, get the drift

  31. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @”except to beg for urgent divine intervention.”

    urgent divine intervention David?

    lol!!!!

    The hard ears girl and she foolish mother can always apologize (in writing) and promise never to to be impertinent to the teachers again.

    No God required for simple things like this.

    God can then busy himself with truly serious things such as the civil war in Syria.

    Stupseee!!!

  32. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @David”the family, which is being supported by children’s rights advocate Shelly Ross, to take the matter to the Ministry of Education. They are now awaiting word on when they will be able to meet with chief education officer Karen Best.”

    Karen should slap the 3 of them and tell them to get the hell out of her office.

    Then she should get on with her real work…which we the taxpayers pay her so well to do.

  33. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Well Well & Consequences February 8, 2016 at 2:21 PM “parents and the ministry have to learn the art of compromise.”

    Don’t you think it would be useful if the 14 year old also learned the art of compromise?

  34. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Two Barbadoses. Anyone recall a few years ago during a parliamentary debate, a usually silent opposition member telling the speaker of the House, ” You can’t tell me to sit down.” or words to that effect ,and this was heard on the national radio covering the debate. And he got away scot free.

  35. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Curious…..you will find that each child comes with a unique set of circumstances and social problems….some children are orphans, some children have parents with mental problems, each case should be handled accordingly and the children not left to the mercy of predators and abusers, that is where the government and school officials should exercise responsibikity.

    You cannot assume that each child in Barbados has the required one or two parents present to take care of their needs, it’s not like that anywhere in the world, that’s reality.

  36. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Well Well & Consequences February 8, 2016 at 2:21 PM “This is not the only child out of school through stupidity of adults.”

    No this child is out of school, the principal of the university was educated there. If Ellerslie is good enough for Dr. Barriteau, and for David Ellis of Voice of Barbados it must be good enough for the hard ears gal.

  37. David Avatar
    David

    Can some of you move pass blaming the child for the issue at this stage? Are we so stupid?

  38. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    No Simple….the child would have to learn the art of compromise from the adults, who lack the art of compromise, children tend to live what they learn, the ministers dont have it, the prinicipal dont have it, the teacher dont have it, the mother dont have it, ministry officials dont have it, where is a 14 year old girl expected to learn the art of compromise.

    I

  39. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Anne February 8, 2016 at 2:24 PM “few years ago a student was killed by another one at one of our older secondary schools and what became of that incident….NOTHING. Parents lost a child and that was the end.

    Not true.

    The assailant was imprisoned at the juvenile prison until her 18th birthday. While there she was extensively and intensively counselled. After her release she returned to the country of her birth and has remained there.

    Even though it is regrettable that the parents lost a child, what else could the Ministry do? No Ministry in the world can restore life to a dead child.

  40. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Anne February 8, 2016 at 2:24 PM “This principal is really overstepping her boundary.”

    No Anne. It is the child who has overstepped her boundary.

  41. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Prodigal Son February 8, 2016 at 2:44 PM “the family should get together and put this child into a private school.”

    What family?

    Lollll!!!!

    You see a father even step forward?

  42. curious Avatar
    curious

    I have been told once this child’s mother tells her not to do something, she never does even if it is school policy. The mother seems to be bullying her child to disregard school rules

  43. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Gabriel February 8, 2016 at 3:05 PM “There is a lack of class shown by the principal who has failed the child and the school.”

    CORRECTION: The child has failed herself.

    Her mother has failed her.

    And her absentee father, whoever or wherever he is has also failed her.

  44. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Simple…you are letting us see the problems as they really are on the island, you cannot blame the child, she is a product of her environment and the adults with whom she interacts….she gets blamed for everything, even a candy wrapper someone else dropped, the teacher is lacking basic skills.

    The whole thing has gone to hell….maybe if the teacher had any sense, it would have been better to let all the kids who were in that area clean around the area and everyone would have learned to keep the area tidy, not one of those kids would have felt that they were being singled out or picked on…….compromise with intelligence.

  45. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @David February 8, 2016 at 3:41 PM “The big question, why did the child turn up at the school today.”

    Probably acting on the advice of some foolish lawyer who took the mother’s money and who never raise a dog flea far more a human child.

    Stupseee!!!

  46. David Avatar
    David

    @David February 8, 2016 at 3:41 PM “The big question, why did the child turn up at the school today.”

    Probably acting on the advice of some foolish lawyer who took the mother’s money and who never raise a dog flea far more a human child.

    Stupseee!!!

    Yet you blame the child at this stage. Why don’t you go and sleep.

  47. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Gabriel February 8, 2016 at 4:14 PM “With all the cable tv we see here,parents are copying the American model of justice for every perceived system failure.”

    And the same American [IN] justice system IMPRISONS or has on probation 40% [FORTY PERCENT] of black men.

    Is that the justice that we want for our children?

    People got to stop watching so much foolish American TV and spend some time disciplining their children.

  48. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    In the American educational system parents such as this are know as helicopter parents (always buzzing around the school, ans always hovering over their children) and they are rightly help in contempt by serious educators.

    Doesn’t this mother have a job to go to?

    Stupseee!!!

  49. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Gabriel February 8, 2016 at 4:14 PM “The parent said she did not want Daryll Jordan nor Ellerslie,the latter because of some bad experience her son encountered whilst a student there.”

    So the mother’s son encountered a problem at Ellerslie, her daughter encountered a problem at Springer Memorial.

    Am I the only one seeing a common denominator here?

  50. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    simple
    re Simple Simon February 8, 2016 at 11:14 PM #
    @Anne February 8, 2016 at 2:24 PM “few years ago a student was killed by another one at one of our older secondary schools and what became of that incident….NOTHING. Parents lost a child and that was the end.

    Not true.

    The assailant was imprisoned at the juvenile prison until her 18th birthday. While there she was extensively and intensively counselled. After her release she returned to the country of her birth and has remained there.

    YOU ARE 100% CORRECT HERE
    THE MOTHER OF THIS CHILD CAME TO SEE ME JUST BEFORE THE GIRL CAME OUT OF DODDS/PRISON SEEKING ADVICE. SHE WAS A NICE LADY WHO WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT AND CONCERNED ABOUT HOW HER CHILD WOULD DO IN BIM AFTER RLEASE FROM DODDS/PRISON
    SEMS SHE TOOK MY ADVICE

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