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Alma Parris School Shutdown

The following comment was posted on another blog by Simple Simon in response to a question from BU about the sudden closure of Alma Parris, a school that was established to serve special needs children. Is there a need for such a school in Barbados? – Barbados Underground @David June 29, 2017 at 10:49 AM…

Ronald Jones, Minister of Education

The following comment was posted on another blog by Simple Simon in response to a question from BU about the sudden closure of Alma Parris, a school that was established to serve special needs children. Is there a need for such a school in Barbados? – Barbados Underground

@David June 29, 2017 at 10:49 AM “An impassioned interrogation by Cynthia Forde of the Ministry of Education on the talk show today, why was the Alma Parris School at Speightstown closed without proper disclosure?”

You can be sure that the Ministry of Education would not dare to close Harrison College, or Lord forbid Combermere School unless there was first extensive consultation with “stakeholders”

According to M.P. Cynthia Forde on Brasstacks on Thursday, the teachers and the principal were informed about the school’s closure after 2 p.m. on Monday. It seems that the students were informed on Tuesday morning, and that the parents like the rest of us heard about the school’s closure on VOB’s 12:30 p.m. news on Tuesday afternoon. This is not good enough.

Was this a hasty decision? When did the Chief Education Officer first hear of the closure? When did the School Board hear? When did Cabinet hear? Was the Chief Education Officer consulted about the closure? Or was she simply told? Was the School’s Board consulted about the closure or was the Board simply informed? Was Cabinet consulted about about the closure or was Cabinet presented with the Cabinet paper regarding the school’s closure only at their Thursday morning meeting?

Is the school’s closure a part of the Ministry of Education’s clumsy attempts to deal with declining enrolment because of declining birth rates? And if so why Alma Parris? Is it not true that the parents of Alma Parris students have more that done their patriotic duty by producing more than the average number of children unlike those demographically unpatriotic parents who have produced a single child for Combermere or Harrison College.

This school’s closure means that these special needs students will be separated from their peers, siblings, cousins etc. come September. Changing schools is stressful for even the best of students, for these students the change will be even more stressful, and will increase the likelihood that these students will withdraw from school.

The truth is that when it comes to special needs students we never treat them as well as we treat the “bright’ ones.

A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable “mene, mene, tekel, upharsin (Daniel 5:25)”

We will be weighed in the balance and found wanting.

95 responses to “Alma Parris School Shutdown”

  1. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Give up.

    It was the proper thing to do.

    The Govt. has the best interests of its citizens at heart. Including all school children.

  2. Well Well @ Consequences Observing Blogger Avatar
    Well Well @ Consequences Observing Blogger

    Carson…ya so stupid, ya missed what i said.

    i never saiid the school should not be closed, so what will you promise now.

    i said

    special needs should have their own transportation

    the best specialized teachers

    integrated into the school system and not bungled together

    assessed to identify skills which will allow them to contribute to society of which they are quite capable, that is what makes them special

    the money being given away to the parasitic business people should be spent on their special needs instead

    if you would focus less on being someone`s slave you would understand.

  3. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    pedantic

    You are only wasting your time and other peoples time.

    this discourse for lack of a better word, is purely academic.

  4. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    Well despite the much bellyaching about the economy – by most BLP louts like David of BU

    The NCF should be more than heartened by the thousands – actually 10,547 party 🎉 goers – who flocked Kensington Oval to witness Phenomenal Friday 2017.

    It truly was a magnificent spectacle going down to 5 am today.

    Then our beloved Transport Board service was there at the end of the show to take patrons safely home

    Kudos to all in involved

    As the first paying event by the NCF for 2017 with such a large crowd in attendance……then the remainder of the Crop Over season seems set for record success

    Eat yuh heart ❤️ out….. David

    The majority of Bajans smarter than you ……!

  5. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    So much thought was put into this decision……..

    …….. yet the teachers were only informed the week the decision was announced.

    ……..yet parents only knew when it was announced on VOB news.

    Where was the consultation with the stakeholders?

    To send these challenged children into already toxic environments where teachers have to deal daily with behavioural problems minute by minute thus reducing teaching time is waging a war against teachers.

    What do Barbadians expect from a rotten decaying government??

  6. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    DAVID

    By the way your countdown to elections is incorrect. But that is in keeping with a lot of the information on this blog.

  7. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    prodigal

    I know that you have a lot of time to waste. so you can carry on from now until Jesus comes again.

    It is not going to change a thing. You old pensioners have too much time on your hands. Say Hi for me to Well Well the next time you see her

  8. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    At a public meeting at St Martin, St Philip after Harold Blackman had resigned from cabinet, he said this:

    “If I had served God as I served the DLP, my seat in heaven would be secured”.

    This is still a sad commentary on people who serve political parties rather than being honest.

    There is no one who cares about this country rather than a party can honestly say that the dlp has not destroyed the economic, social and moral fabric of this country in nine short years.

    It is going to be a herculean task to rebuild this economy.

  9. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    prodigal

    One of these days I hope that you will write something that is even remotely sensible.

    the DEMCRATIC LABOUR PARTY took Barbados from a village to a NATION.

  10. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    And back to a village again!

  11. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Carson C. Cadogan July 8, 2017 at 2:11 PM
    “…the DEMCRATIC LABOUR PARTY took Barbados from a village to a NATION”

    So Carrion, you are subscribing to that axiom of “what goes around comes around”?

    Yes indeed a nation owned and controlled by ‘foreigners’ and facilitated by the local nouveau riche like the Mulatto Maloney fella.

    This is not what the founding members of the DLP envisaged for Barbados and its black citizens to be returned to a village of slaves. A village, this time around surrounded not by fields of sugarcane, potatoes and yams but overgrown with bush and cow itch and overrun by vermin of all kinds.

    But we ‘vaguely’ remember the leader of that deceitful lying party futuristically warning Bajans of being returned to the cane grounds of Marchfield. How eerily true his words of prediction are fast becoming a reality.

    Just remember, Carrion, that Japanese made SUVs and Chinese assembled 40 inch smart TVs are not bought with Bajan cut-plate Mickey mouse money but with hard earned forex.

  12. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    dpD

    Good point……….it was so well thought out that they have been assigned to the three lowest performing schools in Bim.

    Yes you heard right lowest by far…..despite the slayer of Demons stating that all schools are equal.

    Its a sad day when the system willfully throws its own children to the wolves……yet we have a caring govt.

    Miller

    Chuckle…….what yuh wasting yuh breath for?

  13. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Our education system is one of the best in all the World. Studies have proven that. So inspite of you BLP brown nosers trying your utmost to demonise Barbados , people the World over are proud of what Barbados has to offer in the education field, have you noticed how many Medical schools are setting here and an Engineering school is to follow.

    My advice to you and gender confused Mia Mottley is to buy plane tickets and fly to hell out of Barbados .

    Well Well bought her ticket and flew to Canada. Please follow her lead.

  14. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Yes and no, Vincent …let’s agree and disagree!

    The minister’s remarks are meant to create a perspective that TEACHING talent is equitable across the school system…in that he is on solid ground but as it relates to student skill/development his remarks are piffle.

    Now with that in mind the choice of schools for the children makes perfect sense. Yes they are being disadvantaged but at least they will be among comparable peers.

    They would have been truly thrown to the wolves if they were asked to go to a CP, Cawmere or any ‘older secondary’ school of that ilk and definitely too some of the newer secondary types like St.Leonard’s or Deighton Griffith to name two of repute.

    The important dynamic is to appreciate the students that attended Alma Parris. As far as I am aware these were children who tested as ‘developmental challenged’. That is NOT a smear or disparagement but simply a fact of life….we have challenges in life (for various reasons) and develop at a slower pace than others.

    The educators completely understand these issues but it seems they are playing a public game of hide the facts to suit their purposes.

    The Horizons school is a vocational center geared towards exactly this type of child…

    Recall for example what Grenville revealed here weeks ago about his development….and where is he now!

    Some of these kids are just like him…rough jewels needing the care and attention to bring out the sparkle…it is not easy mining for jewels!

  15. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    There is an report in Barbados Today where Cynthia Forde said that as far back as from the days when Ronald Jones was head of the BUT, he was opposed to the creation of a school like Alma Parris.

    She outlined the thinking behind setting up the school. She said that the ministry at the time realised the need for what they termed an “Alternate Secondary School”. Jones then as the union bully termed the school an “ass” school using the acronym.

    So it seems as if on his way out, he is fulfilling a promise to close the school with no regards to the 143 children and the teachers who were trying their best with them. The ministry did not allocate any students to Alma Parris for the last two years so they knew what they were planning.

    By the way, does anyone know how good a teacher Jones was? I have heard that he was hardly in the classroom at Milton Lynch………cause let me tell you, he is the biggest failure ever as a minister of education. A big arrogant buffoon.

    I hope Jones know that he has the power now to close the school but an incoming BLP government will reopen it for the benefit of the children of this country.

    We need to pray for the teachers of these three schools to which these children have been sent.

  16. vincent haynes Avatar
    vincent haynes

    DPD

    You stated my point…developmentally challenged is vastly different to being slow learner like Grenville or Einstein…..I stand by my statement above.p

  17. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    prodigal

    was Cynthia forde one of Tom Adams side girls?

  18. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Min Of Education, The Hon. Ronald Jones

    https://www.facebook.com/DLPBB/videos/1487262621336538/

  19. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Vincent

    This Grenville man is getting on my nerves.

    Apparently he still does not realise that the dlp is the government since 2008. The man is forever blaming the BLP for the woes of this country. The dlp is not responsible for anything it has done since 2008 that has put this country in the black hole it is in now. It is the BLP’s fault.

    He apparently called the Pine this week and as expected he had to sing a tune that Maureen would allow him to sing. So from what a low info caller said on Brasstacks, he explained “everything” good.

    That was a call from hell…………I cannot believe that after the taxpayers have spent millions on education that it has produced such idiots. I was “shamed” for this woman and to think she may have children…………..She believes everything she hears on CBC, she believes everything Grenville said. She said a politician sat her down and explained things to her……….my gosh if it was Kellman………her call is understandable.

    David Ellis asked her what has the dlp done wrong, can she name anything the dlp has done wrong since it became the government…….she said she cannot think of anything they have done wrong.

    And there you have it…………ignorance at its best………typical dlp supporter.

  20. vincent haynes Avatar
    vincent haynes

    Prodigal

    You should realise by now that a well orchestrated pincer attack has been planned for the bees.I would suggest to you that the bees are fighting many parties as a strategy by this poor rakey govt.
    When some one declares that they cannot reveal people because they are in business and maybe affected…….one must wonder about the power of their convictions.
    I bow to your fortitude to listen to CBC….not me.

  21. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Vincent

    You are right.

    There is also the matter of finding out if a certain Lawyer and QC is really a bona fide Lawyer and QC.

  22. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    DLP Baxters Road event

    https://www.facebook.com/DLPBB/videos/1496340637095403/

  23. TheGazer Avatar
    TheGazer

    “There is also the matter of finding out if a certain Lawyer and QC is really a bona fide Lawyer and QC.”

    An this solves the multitude of problems that confront Barbados.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    You are listening to the talk show?

  25. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    David

    Yes I am…..very informative,as to its setup and the early effeorts made,the number of children who are now wortwhile adults and the telling point about deviancy if absorbed in those other schools….it is a pity that dpD is unable to do so….it would give him a better understanding of the difference between slow learners in the system and special needs children.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    VoB must be congratulated for hihighlighting this issue. We tend to impersonalize these kinds of issues that affect minority elements in our society.

    Well done!

    > >

  27. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    David

    Agreed.

  28. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    That difference @Vincent is well know…very well known to me. I recognize that my earlier remarks about ‘developmental challenges’ might have been misleading but there should be no misunderstanding.

    I did catch some of the discourse and I hope that those of Ms Jordan the former Alma Parris principal were properly absorbed.

    No need for me to revisit the entire discussion but suffice to say that coming from a history that has long supported children who were deaf, blind and otherwise challenged and who were given opportunity at schools like Parkinsons which as far as I know was setup to handle a SIMILIAR (academic deficiency) child cohort of Alma Parris then we have marked time and WASTED resources to be here today.

    We should be way beyond this.

    Did you hear the remarks that many teachers are now trained re special needs but YET the ministry overall has NOT embraced ongoing training across the system.

    Did you hear about the kids who are not even scoring 30% in common entrance as we discussed above…and did you hear that these kids are in fact across the system at several schools…NOT ONLY PARRIS.

    No more prolix…the problem is long in the tooth, our educational masters KNOW the issues but for whatever reason it is being side stepped.

    If I may paraphrase David to say: Houston you know the problem, why in heaven’s name are you waiting for the freaking explosion…oops, for another explosion.

  29. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Oh gee, excuse that self like….navigating fingers on these tactile devices can be fraught with error!

  30. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Someone on this or the other Alma Parris blog mentioned that with progress in medical science we will see fewer children with special needs. In fact medical advances mean that we will see more children with special needs. In the bad old days children who who were born before 24 weeks gestation often died. Nowadays because of medical advances a good number of these children live, but they are more likely that a full term child to have various kinds of disabilities.

    “Progress” is often a two edged sword. One side helpful. One side painful.

    So we will NEVER overcome the need for special needs education.

  31. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    dpD

    The long and short of it,however which way you want to pars it.

    …..Special needs children are not the same as slow learners and should be dealt with differently.

    ……The failure of succesive govts in this area does not negate the above simple fact.

  32. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Correct, Vincent of that there is no disagreement…

    The question is asked: are Alma Parris students ‘special needs’? And if so how are those needs different from some of the students who attend St. George secondary or St. Lucy sec.?

    The President of the Senate with her ‘special need’ as a visually challenged woman was given the opportunity to navigate your Alma mater. And before her they tell me that a WHEEL-CHAIR challenged young man attended that no elevator three story building for several years also.

    Let’s definitely not conflate kids who score poorly on standardized tests because of various life challenges caused primarily by bad parenting decisions, and poor societal practices with those who may be autistic, blind, deaf or otherwise mentally/physically challenged.

    As a nation we have a long way to go on the latter issues but have done some awesome work nonetheless thus far (way beyond those simple examples)…we however are failing the otherwise so called developmentally challenged slow learners very, very badly.

  33. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    dpd

    Aspergers,Autism,Disabled,Slow learners….these can all be broken down further.

    My understanding is that the school was created to deal with dysfunctional children which can be found on the spectrum of the aspergers and autistic…..if that was no longer its function that was unfortunate.

    Today being blind,deaf or wheelchair bound with a fully functioning mind does not prevent one from attending regular schools once one qualifies by virtue of the 11+ exam.

    We are neither of us fully learned with respect to the various types of teaching applications for children’s development in their formative years……I shall leave it there.

  34. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Did Chris Sinckler go to Alma Parris?

  35. dedribbler Avatar
    dedribbler

    Again Vincent, we thread into disagreement. Not aware that Alma Parris was specifically designed to deal with “dysfunctional children … on the spectrum of the aspergers and autistic”.

    That could not be a rational perspective based on (1) the mouthings of the Min of Ed re School equality and (2) the closure of said institution and placing the children back into the other schools previously named.

    This is NOT about being professionally grounded in the teaching applications for children’s development.

    Biologically, development is essentially the same across the globe…we cannot expect children to score a paltry 30% or less on a standardized test and then perceive that they will magically transform into wise and savvy academicians in a few short years.

    There is and has been for generations cohorts of those 30% range kids …we need to address that aggressively and honestly…as noted above they are some vocational centers on island but the overall dynamic is still dated and discriminatory.

    That is the thrust of MY Alma Parris debate.

    This is NOT about autism and related biologically sourced developmental issues and certainly not about physical challenges.

    @Hal, and WHAT if he did?

    But he is too old to have attended that school… started a short two decades ago.

    Not being rude but your query plays into the stereotype that if you start slowly – which he ostensibly did – then you will forever be reminded of that as others attempt to piss-parade on you.

    Lots of leaders schooled at Brumley secondary or ShedRoof Uni can run rings around some Oxford or Cawmere grads…alas not him tho, but just saying!

  36. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    De dribbler,
    You are reading too much in to my question. The tradition is that if you are not clear you ask the questioner to clarify or elaborate, not assume what is in her/his mind.

  37. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    dpD

    Some statements that you are unaware of:

    The school was started under the then Min of Educ. MAM,present leader of the opposition,who called into brasstacks yesterday and give the original thinking behind it.

    MP for St.Thomas,then a jnr Min.of Educ. when started stated on Brasstacks last week that the present Min.of Educ. who was then president of the BUT,objected to it and said it served no usefull purpose.

    The first Principal of the school stated on Brasstacks yesterday what was the original intent of the school and the training that the teachers were exposed to inorder to deal with the specific needs of the children.

    My discussion is informed by the above individuals.

    Your sources appear to be the present Min of Educ. which is not a credible source based on his previous objections.

  38. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Hal, LOL. So why did you not clarify your statement then. There is a regularly used tactic to ‘ask a question’ and that one oh wise fellow is to present an interpretation of what was said.

    The burden is then yours to debunk my interpretation as wrong and clarify. Very simple.

    @Vincent, oh me miserum, what sayeth thou! I am very much aware of how the school was germinated and the views of current Min of Ed’s back then.

    Worry not about my sourcing. It is as solid as the proverbial rock.

    So if per your 10:29 you are saying that MAM suggested in her call-in that the Alma Parris was started to that end then I will have to upbraid my source (LOL)…

    I was late and certainly did not hear her comments yesterday.

    Ms Jordan’s remarks – the former principal whom I heard in part – coincided with what I was previously advised… at no time did I get the sense from her that the institution was geared very aggressively to the cohort you noted.

    No doubt children of that disposition would have ended up there but in the main she clearly noted that ten years ago she also took to St. George secondary many of the tactics, testing methodologies and operational standards which she had instituted at Alma Parris.

    Was that to say that St. George’s also had children in that ‘autistic’ cohort range too (maybe).
    But also (and moreso) they surely had kids in the more ‘standard developmental slower’ areas as Alma Parris did.

    Children at St. George, Parkinson, St. Lucy secondary and others ALSO score in that 30% and below range.

    Why take a principal trained in that supposedly very specialized area and transfer her to another type school unless (just maybe) you need to bring those skills and training to other places where they are needed just as BADLY.

    Just stating the facts as I see them, bro!

    And do always read between the lines of your informants…a skill they surely taught you at Waterford. LOLL!

  39. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    de pedantic,

    No strategy. Just curiosity.

  40. vincent haynes Avatar
    vincent haynes

    DPD

    Sigh…..we are reading the same tea leaves and our interpretation is different…… To each their own…..note our educational system is dysfunctional starting with the 11+.

  41. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Hal Austin July 10, 2017 at 10:56 AM

    No.

    Prodigal Son did.

  42. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Hal Austin July 10, 2017 at 10:56 AM “Did Chris Sinckler go to Alma Parris?”

    No he did not.

    Did you?

  43. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    A better question to ask the Minister is whether the present principal pleaded, and pleaded for specialized training for his teachers, and what was the Minister’s response.

    Pick sense outta dat.

  44. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Simple Simon,
    No. I did not go to school.

  45. Don’t Mess with Our Children | Barbados Underground

    […] Alma Parris School Shutdown […]

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