The Houston Secondary School was thrown into turmoil after a teacher whipped out a cutlass to defend herself against a parent and a student who attacked her on Thursday, March 23.
The incident, which was caught on camera and shared on social media, showed the raucous behaviour on the school’s premises. The teacher was later identified as Kimone Gentle, who has been in the profession for a number of years.
The teacher and the parent were both detained at the Ruimveldt Police Station, but the teacher was later released following the intervention of her attorney, Darren Wade. The teacher, who briefly spoke to sections of the media, explained that attacking teachers is becoming a new pandemic.
In a socal media post, Education Minister Priya Manickchand stated, “In every altercation between a teacher and parent/s, a child will be affected. Remember that. And dial down all the talks of violence and hostility.”
GTU President Mark Lyte told the media that the issue must be addressed head-on, while adding there is need for legislation to be updated to protect teachers in the classroom and in the schools.
“This seems to be the new way of parents and students trying to resolve their challenges with their teachers, and it is really bothersome and worrying,” Lyte told News Source. He added that gone are the days when parents would visit the schools and speak to the teachers to understand what was happening with their children.
