10-12 April 2013 Caribbean Partners for Educational Progress EduExchange E-Discussion Summary
QUESTIONING SCHOOL VIOLENCE IN JAMAICAN
SCHOOLS: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE
EDUEXCHANGE E-DISCUSSION SUMMARY
Date of Discussion: April 10-12, 2013
Dr. Deon Edwards-Kerr, Lecturer at the School of Education, was the moderator for the recently concluded
Caribbean Partners for Educational Progress E-Discussion, EduExchange, held between April 10 and 12, 2013.
Members shared their views concerning violence in schools as part of the School of Education, UWI Mona. The
full discussion is available on the Caribbean Partners for Educational Progress Website.
May 24, 2013
This publication was produced for your review by the U.S. Agency for International Development. It was prepared by
Alesia Riddell of the QED Group, LLC, Dian Bailey and Nadine Valentine of the School of Education, UWI Mona.
10-12 April 2013 Caribbean Partners for Educational Progress EduExchange E-Discussion Summary
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Participants................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Background ................................................................................................................................................................. 3
.............................................................................................................. 5 Factors contributing to school violence
..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Strategies
.................................................................................................................................................. 10 Related Resources
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PARTICIPANTS
We received twelve comments for the discussion, for which we thank the following persons:
o Pauline Bain
o Karen Thwaites
o Craig Bloomfield
o Rohan Perry
o Anthea Henderson
o Carol Gentles
o Her Story
o Joyce Campbell
Contributors belonged to the following organizations:
o School of Education- UWI, Mona
o CARIMAC- UWI, Mona
o Community Advocate
o Family Life Ministries
o Peace Management Initiative
o St. Hugh’s High School
o Old Harbour Primary School
Authors’Acknowledgments...
Thank you to our moderator, Dr Deon Edwards-Kerr. Thank you also to everyone who contributed to the discussion by
posting comments and sharing experiences, and resources.
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BACKGROUND
School violence occurs when “any member of the school
community is subjected to abuse, threatening, intimidating
or humiliating behaviour or physical assault from a student,
teacher, or staff member”.
1
In Jamaica, previous research
found that almost 90 percent of students in 11 Kingston
based schools were worried about school violence. Their
concern was justified as the survey found that 21 percent of
the students had attacked teachers or staff, and 22 percent
had suffered violence from other students (Gardner, Powell,
Thomas & Millard, 2003)”.
2
Approximately 75 percent of
the surveyed students believed they would be “picked on”
more if they were reluctant to fight, despite the findings that
89% thought it generally wrong to hit other people
(Gardner et al., 2003). The magnitude of the problem is
evinced by recent statistics released by the Ministry of
Education that showed that in the 2011 – 2012 academic
year, there were 1288 reported incidents of violence in
Jamaican schools including “915 fights, 160 robberies and
three murders”.
3
When it comes to violence in schools both educators and
policy makers cringe. They do so, because the idea that
children and young people could be involved in violent
crime still seems farfetched to many, but also because
school ought to be a ‘safe haven’. However, schools are no
longer seen as a safe place where parents can feel
comfortable knowing that their children are far from
violence.
As Dr. Deon Edwards-Kerr pointed out, “violence in schools
did not start in schools, it is an import, and over the years we
have accepted it as a natural part of schooling - climate and
culture” (Dr. Deon Edwards-Kerr, 2013). The issue of school
violence has normalized over time and in schools; result in
institutions paying more attention to right behaviours than
understanding the underlying factors that cause violence in
schools.
Fig. 1: Jamaican High School Students
1
http://www.unicef.org/lac/spbarbados/Implementation/CP/Regional/shoolbasedviolence_2007_iadb.pdf
2
http://www.scielosp.org/pdf/rpsp/v14n2/a04v14n2
3
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/School-violence-focus----Education-ministry-to-implement-measures-starting-summer
In Jamaica, the antecedents of school
violence are multiple and complex, one
key factor is the dysfunctional social
relations existing in many communities -
‘community violence’ influences what
goes into schools – children and young
people take with them ways of being what
they see modeled in their communities,
ways of dealing with conflict, ways to
defend and protect themselves.
The idea that the ‘community’ will protect
the school is no longer universal,
furthermore the idea that the community
will protect and care for students can
longer be taken for granted. Lifestyles and
'ways of being' in some communities
socialize some young people into violent
norms, and, the ways in which some
schools respond to the situations
reinforce these behaviours rather than
mitigate.
Dr. Deon Edwards-Kerr
School of Education,UWI, Mona
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FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO SCHOOL VIOLENCE
Discussants agreed that violence in schools mirror violence within communities. Dr. Edwards – Kerr advanced the
critical perspective that takes seriously the interaction between students and their contexts. In this case, the school
and the community are key social contexts which shape the identities of students through a variety of intersecting
relationships. They noted that school violence results from familial, societal and educational factors, which are
outlined below:
HOME/FAMILIAL
“Dysfunctional social interaction between community
members.
Violence is seen as the approach to dealing with
conflict”.
SOCIETAL
Societal factors such as crime and violence in the wider society
help to perpetuate the incidence of and numbness to violence.
These factors include:
The perceived return from criminal activity outweighs
the legitimate returns of education coupled with
perceived improbability of arrests and sanctions.
Criminal activity is linked to survival as it is “sometimes
the only avenue for one to provide a meal for
themselves or family”. (Karen Thwaites, 2013)
Youngsters and people in general, are readily hostile
because of general incivility
Youths’ perception that they need to "stand-up" for
themselves
“The media plays a crucial role in providing
entertainment that is marred with violence”. ". (Anthea
Edalere-Henderson, 2013)
SCHOOL/ EDUCATIONAL
The response to violent behaviour by school
administrators and teachers tend to reinforce this
behaviour than mitigate it.
Lack of proper administration and policies in schools
Lack of “the necessary emotional support necessary for students from communities plagued by violence or
who see violence as a means of conflict resolution” (Dr. Deon Edwards-Kerr, 2013).
“In a modern, western, collective society
where youth and adults have grown numb to
violence, be it verbal, emotional, or physical,
many educators today enter their schools
with a deep-seated, justifiable trepidation as
they are not only ill-equipped in terms of their
professional expertise relative to violence
(which is understandable as few of us began
our careers with challenges in mind), but we
also live in a general environment of fear”.
(Craig Broomfield, 2013)
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Teachers are not adequately trained to understand the underlying factors and deal with violence.
Many times violent exchange between students is not treated with urgency or the necessary diplomacy by
teachers.
STRATEGIES
Dr. Edwards Kerr pointed out and the discussion highlighted that there is a “need to understand that it is the
responsibility of the adults to ensure that our students are rightly trained and also to identify those at risk from an
early age” (Dr. Deon Edwards-Kerr, 2013). The discussion also revealed that the numbness to violence may be a
significant contributor and key to school violence reduction. As discussants indicated, school violence is not
instantaneous and ought to be addressed early. A key part of doing this is dispelling the numbness to violence,
hence unhealthy exchanges among students and other warning signs would receive the requisite intervention before
issues escalate. Another key element referenced in discussion is socialization from the home and external agents
including the school. The popular phrase, ‘children live what they learn’ is an accurate one that must be headed as
the adults in their lives take care in modelling the behaviours that they expect to see.
Discussants identified strategies that would target the home, community and school factors to achieve a satisfying
change in the incidence of violence in schools.
Home/ Familial
The family is considered as the best avenue for change (Anthea Edalere-Henderson, 2013).
It must be understood that each child is different and therefore training and nurturing must be done with
this in mind.
Instilling Discipline
Parents and guardians should try to inculcate right behaviour by giving rewards for good behaviour and
outcomes
Violence as a means of discipline or to curve right behaviour should be eliminated as this only intensifies the
situation. ( Carol Gentles, 2013)
Authority figures should set the right example for children to follow and build good relationships with
them.
Community
The community play a vital role in combating violence in schools and the society in general. According to Joyce
Campbell (2013), community support and the implementation of different programmes and facilities can help to
alleviate this problem. The following strategies can help to mitigate against community factors that contribute to
the incidence of school violence:
Health Care Facilities
Home Work Centres
Skills Training
Counselling facilities for persons who need proper direction and assistance
Recreational facilities that enable community members, can engage in physical activities such as sports and
exercise.
Mentorship programmes focused on emotional literacy and promoting positive values, attitudes and
behaviours.
Skills training
Rehabilitation within the community
The use of Restorative Justice /Mediation to solve conflicts
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School
It is believed that a variety of expediencies should be used at all levels of the education system and involves
teachers, administrators and students. Discussants suggested the following strategies:
Professional development
Sessions in the form of workshops, seminars and accredited training programmes, which would:
Assist teachers in identifying students who are likely to be violent
Promote awareness of available assistance within and external to the school
community.
Provide an opportunity to share the successes and difficulties faced when dealing
with school violence.
Improve Teacher – student relations.
o Teachers should express more care and concern toward their students and build healthy
relationships with them.
o School personnel should be role models for right behaviour
o School personnel should refrain from the use of violence to curve same.
Prevention and Early Intervention
o “The inclusion of a psychologist to do triage and referrals before a problem student crosses the
border”. ( Craig Broomfield, 2013)
o Reducing unhealthy exchanges between students before it escalates.
o A system that enable quick identification and intervention on acts of violence within schools.
o Identifying students who exhibit violent behaviours from an early age (pre-school years)
o Installing professional security forces in schools as students will most likely have respect for the
highest authority
o Ensuring that proper infrastructure, policies and a robust security system are in place
o Identifying students who exhibit violent behaviours from an early age (pre-school years)
Crisis Management
o Identifying roles and promoting collaborative effort between the security forces and the school
administrators (school resource officers, guidance counsellor and principal) in combating violence.
o Promoting peer support amongst both teachers and students to mitigate against effect of violence.
Other strategies include:
Placing students who have a violent history in a special institution. (Rohan Perry, 2013).
Increasing the time allotted to Guidance Counselors so that they play an active role in the students’ life.
(Pauline Bain, 2013)
Ensuring that the Guidance and Counselling and Health and Family Life Education material available and
issued to students.
Teaching and learning should facilitate team-effort rather than competitive approaches.
The critical incident management plan proposed some strategies that can be used to mitigate violence in school.
Violent activities were grouped accordingly:
Student fights
Staff-student fights
Gang activities within school communities
The following strategies were deemed necessary to assist in mitigating violence in schools:
There should be regular review of school rules to ensure that students understand what is expected of them.
Implement a violence protection programme
Conduct frequent searches for weapons and other instruments that can be used to inflict arm.
Encourage moral, values and attitudes
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There should be strong disciplinary procedures to curtail gang activity within schools
The police force should be utilized to assist with having dialogue with gang members
(Source: Ministry of Education, Jamaica)
As Joyce Campbell noted the availability of resources is very crucial to the implementation and effectiveness of
these strategies shared.
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Peace and Love in Schools (PALS)
Started in1992
Primary Objective(s): reduce the levels of
violence in the society and foster greater
respect for life and breaking cycles of
violence.
Target group: Primary and selected high
schools throughout Jamaica
Activities:
• Conflict Resolution curriculum is
incorporated into primary education
• Ongoing training sessions through
the use of workbooks which focuses
on Community Building, Anger
Management, Rules for Making
Peace, Effective Communication
and Perception Skills
• Trained individuals are equipped to
go out and train others to use the
right techniques for conflict
resolutions
• Parent and community outreach
sessions are also done in an attempt
to sensitize the wider community to
the problems facing our youngsters.
Implementing organization: The Jamaica
Gleaner
Change From Within Programme
(PALS)
Started in1994
Primary Objective(s): to build self-esteem
among all stakeholders, thereby reducing
anti-social behaviours and fostering
school involvement.
Target group: Selected School across
Jamaica
Activities:
• Professional development workshops
to assist teachers and administrators
to improve leadership skills.
• Mentorship programme that involves
teachers mentoring students, teachers
mentoring teachers and students
mentoring students.
• Identifying students interests and use
it to motivate them to participate in
different activities.
• Circle of friends to share experiences,
ideas and to identify strategies to
improve leadership skills.
Implementing organization: The
University of the West Indies, Faculty of
Humanities and Education
Creating Safe Places for Learning in
Schools Project
Time period: 2007- 2010
Primary Objective(s):to equip school-based
professionals, primary caregivers and students
to better manage anger and mitigate conflict
and violence, create a safer school environment
and promote child rights and responsibilities
Target Group: 30 schools in Kingston, St
Catherine and St James.
Activities:
• Dispute Resolution Foundation worked
with students, school-based professionals
and parents on fostering anger
management, conflict resolution and
mediation strategies in schools to reduce
violence
• Teachers were trained in conflict resolution
and anger management techniques
• Live dramatic production in schools
entitled Curfew that tackles the issues of
violence and conflict resolution that was
executed and accompanied by small group
discussions.
• Sensitized school-based professional,
students and parents on child rights and
responsibilities.
Implementing organization: Ministry of Education,
Dispute Resolution Foundation & the Violence
Prevention Clinic at the UWI
Safe Schools Programme
Started in 2004
Primary Objective(s): Decrease school
violence in at-risk schools
Target group: 89 troubled institutions in
the parishes of St James, St Ann, St
Elizabeth, Kingston and St Andrew
Activities:
• Members of the Jamaica
Constabulary Force are trained as
School Resource Officers (SRO).
• SROs mentor and assist in dealing
with disputes that may arise on
the school compound
• SROs work with the school
administration to identify and
monitor areas on school
compounds that pose potential
dangers to students.
• Each institution is required to
plan and implement school
specific safety measures to achieve
violence prevention and reduction
targets.
Implementing organization: Ministry of
National Security, Ministry of Education,
Ministry of Health
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RELATED RESOURCES
Benbenishty, R. & Astor, R.A. (2008). School violence in international context: A call for global
collaboration in research and prevention.
International Journal of Violence and
School, 7.
This paper discusses the potential contributions of international and cross-cultural perspectives. We list a range of
questions and issues that should be addressed by international studies. We then propose an international
collaborative study of school violence across the world that can address these issues. Finally we make
recommendations for a conceptual and methodological framework to design an international monitoring system for
school violence.
Carroll, B. R. (n.d.).
The Effects of School Violence and Crime on Academic Achievement
. Available from
http://www.davidson.edu/academic/economics/Student%20Research%20Papers/Brandon%20Carroll%
20paper.pdf
This paper tests the effect of criminal and violent acts in North Carolina public middle schools on the academic
performance levels of 8th graders, controlling for a variety of relevant factors. Results confirm that these incidents
lower academic achievement, as measured by the percentage of students at or above grade level on N.C. 8th Grade
Math and Reading End-of-Grade tests; the first incidents are more disruptive to achievement than later incidents;
and the relationship is small in magnitude but statistically significant. Specifically, the average marginal influence of
one more incident of crime or violence is a 0.138 decrease in Math scores and a 0.143 decrease in Verbal scores;
these findings were also strongly inelastic. The paper directs future research to determine if these effects compound
over time and to create education policy around them so as to produce a more efficient public sector.
Erik, A. (2007).
School-based violence prevention. Inter-American Development Bank:
Sustainable Development Department
. Available from
http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=911739
School is one of the most important socializing environments for children, since it is where they spend a great deal
of time interacting with teachers and peers. However, the persistent spillover of community socioeconomic
conditions and violence means that schools and their surroundings are no longer protected places, but share in the
day-to-day violence of the urban space (Abramovay, 2002; Gottfredson, 2001). As a result, school violence has
increased correspondingly.
Gardner, J. M.; Powell, C. A., Thomas, J.A. & Millard, D. (2003). Perceptions and experiences of violence
among secondary school students in urban Jamaica.
Pan Am J Public Health
14(2). Available from
http://www.scielosp.org/pdf/rpsp/v14n2/a04v14n2
Seventy-five percent of the students thought that someone who was reluctant to fight would be “picked on” more,
89% thought it generally wrong to hit other people, and 91% thought it wrong to insult other people. Eighty-four
percent knew of students who carried knives or blades from such items as a scalpel or a utility knife to school, and
89% were worried about violence at school. Thirty-three percent had been victims of violence, and 60% had a
family member who had been a victim of violence. Eighty-two percent thought that violent television shows could
increase aggressive behavior. Factor analysis of selected responses was carried out, yielding
five factors:
neighborhood violence, school violence, perceptions of acceptable behaviors, level of concern about
violence, and general experiences and perceptions of violence
. The factors varied with gender, age, grade level,
socioeconomic status, and school type. These results will help focus interventions aimed at reducing violence,
provide a baseline for later comparisons of perceptions and experiences of violence, and offer a basis for comparing
the experiences of young people in urban Jamaica with those of young persons elsewhere.
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Ministry of Education and Youth. (2007).
Guidelines for Developing a Critical Incident Management Plan
for a Safe School Environment
. Available from http://jamaica.kdid.org/groups/eduexchange-
questioning-school-violence-jamaican-schoolsa-critical-perspective/safe-school-pr.
This manual was created by the Jamaica's Ministry of Education to guide schools to respond to a wide range of
critical incidences and includes prevention as well as response strategies. Violence and aggression continue to be the
major causes of trauma within some schools, as a small, yet significant number of students become involved in gang
rivalry; drug trafficking, drug use, drug abuse and fights, sometimes with deadly weapons. These incidents usually
result in violent acts that are sometimes fatal, affecting the entire school community and causing major disruptions.
Ministry of Education Jamaica. (2007 – 2010).
An evaluation of the Create Safe Places for Learning in
Schools Project.
UNICEF. Available from
http://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/2011_Jamaica_-_CSPL_EVALUATION_ FINAL.pdf
Jamaica is one of the most violent societies in the world and as a consequence Jamaican schoolchildren, especially
those living in what are often referred to as ‘inner-city’ communities are highly exposed to violent acts, including
stabbing, shooting and sexual assault. Many studies in recent years have reported the high percentage of Jamaican
children that have witnessed a murder or seen a dead body in mainly the Kingston Metropolitan, St James and St
Catherine areas, where a multiplicity of criminal gangs control whole communities. This increasing phenomenon is
numbing the senses of Jamaican children to violence and in turn bringing about both a fear and an acceptance of
violence as a way to resolve conflicts. Jamaican children have therefore been seen playing next to and eating food in
close proximity to newly murdered corpses, demonstrating inappropriate social responses to this kind of trauma.
There is no doubt that exposure to violence among Jamaican youth is a public health crisis that is thwarting the
efforts of parents and educators to positively mold and shape the attitudes and behaviours of young people and
divert them away from violence. The CSPL Project was piloted in 30 schools between July 2007 and December
2010 and was a collaboration of the Ministry of Education, (MOE), the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF) and
the Violence Prevention Clinic in the University of the West Indies (VPC). From the total target school population
of 33,445, 41% (13,571) of students were exposed to the CSPL project. Some students were selected based on their
teacher’s perceived risk of them, while some schools applied a universal approach to project implementation in their
classes. This report presents the findings of the project’s evaluation.
Sacco, F. C. & Twemlow, S.W. (1997, June). School Violence Reduction: A model Jamaican Secondary
School Program.
Community Mental Health Journal
, 33(3).
The Montego Bay Secondary School Project presents an example of how violence reduction can be achieved using
almost no physical resources, and the special effect called 'Bruno Effect', created by one Jamaican police officer
with the consultation of a psychodynamically led training and intervention team. The 'Bruno Effect' resulted in a
dramatic reduction in the number of physical attacks from an observed 5 fights per day (3 out of 5 involved knives
and cutting) to 1 per week. The violence rate returned to its former level as soon as 'Bruno' left the school. The
dramatic violence reduction appears related to establishing an adult protective shield. The results stem from the
unique personality of the adult protector as well as a combination of the special role of the police and the outside
intervention team.
USAID. (2005).
Safe School Program: Jamaica Assessment Report.
Available from
http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADD898.pdf2005
This report presents the findings of an assessment aimed at:
• Assess existing programs for their capacity to address SRGBV;
• Understand the nature of SRGBV in Jamaica; and
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• Identify individuals and organizations from the key informant interviews to serve as local
partners.
The Safe School Programme’s approach to creating a gender safe environment for all boys and girls as well as
guiding principles are highlighted. A general summary of the issues and recommendations are noted.
Security and Security Policy Guidelines: Promoting a culture of security and safety in schools. (2008).
Ministry of Education Available from
http://www.moe.gov.jm/sites/default/files/Security%20and%20Safety%20Policy%20Guidelines.pdf
This Security and Safety Policy was developed by the Ministry of Education for the Jamaican education system.
Zero Tolerance in Jamaican education system, understanding the recording and promoting requirements of the
MoE, general rules for student searches, the role of school leadership and guidance for creating a school
environment free of weapons and contraband.