Would Tim Perform Schoolbag Searches?

Even before I knew last Friday’s Newsspin would be his last, I had decided to offer my two cents to Timothy Poleon’s “Hot Button” question: “Why do you think there is a need for a superintendent minister of the Methodist church in Saint Lucia to reinforce the point that teachers should periodically search the bags of students?”

Quickly answering his own question, he said: “It’s primarily because in our Saint Lucian society, no matter how grave a problem, somehow we find it necessary to put impediments in the way of people who would want to find a resolution. We come up with prescriptions, no matter how unrealistic.” Poleon was referring to the objections of parents and lawyers to schoolbag searches. I now wish to add my own objections to the proposed idea. 

 A quick browse of the 1999 Education Act would reveal Section 139 outlines twenty-five requirements to be fulfilled by teachers including to “report promptly to the principal . . . any other conditions or circumstances that may reasonably threaten the health or safety of students or other employees of the school” and “perform assigned duties as outlined in the school emergency plan developed by the school administration and the teachers to protect the health and safety of students”.

The first mentioned directive would have been what the Corinth Secondary School teacher likely followed a few weeks ago when she realized she had confiscated a firearm taken to school by a student. The second is what Poleon and the Methodist superintendent minister were suggesting: an “emergency plan developed” to protect the health and safety of students, in the form of weapon searches. However, it’s hard to decipher from the Education Act—which mentions the word “safety” only five times and “protection” four in a 97-page document—whether teachers are primarily responsible for the protection of their students, and whether teachers are themselves entitled to protection, whether from invaders or their own students. 

Just imagine a bag search by a teacher that uncovers dangerous weapons. Immediately the teacher’s life is on the line. The owner of the weapon might retaliate violently. Or his friends and parents may decide to take matters into their own hands, dependent on whether they are law-abiding citizens or gang-associated. Sounds familiar? Suddenly the teacher is a possible target, as in the case of that Corinth schoolteacher that reportedly was told to hand over the gun or face dire consequences.

All I’m saying is that it should not be the teacher’s responsibility to protect students. As a journalist at the STAR I am not expected to be responsible for the protection of the premises and those employed there. Why then should teachers be expected to double up as security personnel at their schools? 

Teachers, as part of their training, undergo a brief course at Teachers’ College in how to act in emergencies. But do such emergencies include taking on gang members armed with Glocks and cutlasses? I somehow doubt that. That’s why we have a police force, armed guards and security devices at schools in more developed regions.  And even then that has proved not enough to keep students safe. Teachers are as vulnerable to criminal attacks as are students, whether or not by other students.

As Poleon observed: “You hardly hear people wanting to be teachers and police officers anymore.” And not without cause. Of course the authorities, who can somehow find the money for vote-catching but relatively useless projects, always cite lack of funds when it come to protecting especially vulnerable citizens, such as teachers and their students.

Not too long ago I was a student at a school where it was like the Hunger Games to get functional desks and chairs for each class. But there were weapons about. Metal detectors in schools are a fantasy even in our dystopian future. But even if there were metal detectors, they would serve little purpose without security personnel. CCTV cameras are fine, but only if supported by human monitors 24-7.  

So, to answer Poleon’s final Hot Button Issue: the Methodist church’s superintendent minister should not be expected to conduct bag searches in schools; neither should Timothy Poleon with regard to his guests; neither should teachers at work. To contemplate otherwise is to be part of the problem; a buck passer!