BVI News

Children given too many rights at ESHS — Lesmore Smith

Top Priority Security owner, Lesmore Smith.

As concerns over security issues at the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) continue to grow, Top Priority Security owner Lesmore Smith suggested that children at the school may have too many rights.

In an interview on the Talking Points radio show, Smith, who has decades of experience in security, said the Education Act allows security guards to do certain things but not others. “We have to look at the access, how you can touch them, how you can’t touch them, how you can handle them, how you can’t handle them,” he said.

Smith cited conversations with school monitors in St Thomas, USVI, who he claimed could be suspended without pay for 30 days if they touched a child inappropriately. “I think we have given our children God-given rights, but I think we’ve given them a little too much of it, to be honest,” he said.

Recent incidents at ESHS underscore the pressing need for enhanced security measures. The school has faced various challenges, including a recent violent incident involving students that prompted the school to switch to remote learning temporarily. Additionally, a bullet was found in a student’s bag, raising further alarms about safety on campus​.

A fight involving students and others also prompted an emergency meeting of the National Security Council. While no firearms were found on campus as initially reported, an imitation firearm was later recovered away from the school premises.

Smith suggested several measures to improve school security, including the strategic and intermittent use of metal detectors. He indicated that while metal detectors do not need to be operational daily, their presence could be a deterrent. “You’re not here to scare them; you’re just putting the fear of God in their heart to let them know it’s not going to be tolerated,” he explained.

He also proposed closing off the road in front of the school during morning drop-off to allow students to enter safely, showing them they are loved and appreciated.

Additionally, Smith suggested offering students hot tea and a small meal in the morning to help them feel more welcome and connected to the school community.

“If we introduce the changes that we don’t want to, it’s not about the next election,” Smith said. “It’s about winning them now for the next election.”

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20 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:

    It’s wrong to touch a child inappropriately.
    You should know that!!

    Like 7
    Dislike 18
    • @Anon says:

      I’m sure he is speaking of touching a child in the heat of a situation like a fight etc. If girls are fighting, how can a male security guard approach to defuse the situation without ‘touching’ them? They will be hesitant because the wrong ‘touch’ could land him in problems. I’m sure this is what he means and not just randomly touching a child. SMH.

      Like 46
      • ... says:

        @@Anon Touching is not only in the heat of an emergency, there is the security check which I assume the security officers at the school engage in, the search their bags and person. You can’t just touch people in general, any and anyhow in the course of your job. Even a policeman can be sued for inappropriate handling of an individual. So what Mr. Lesmore Smith is saying about in the USVI, it applies here as well. And I would not say that is too much right. Everybody deserves to be dealt with respectfully.

        Like 4
        Dislike 3
    • Guess whats? says:

      Inapproriate touch amidst chaos and violence?. Wonder! Wonder!! Wonder!!! So, so you expect a security man to get overwhelmed and express erotic feelings in the midst of juvenile violence?. In that case, you must have hired demons

      Like 4
      Dislike 1
  2. Smh says:

    Smith cited conversations with school monitors in St Thomas, USVI, who he claimed could be suspended without pay for 30 days if they touched a child inappropriately.

    There was coach @ CAHS convicted for heinous sex offences against boys recently, considering that situation and others that went unreported the above is without merit.

  3. ? says:

    Why is this guy’s opinion on the subject of any merit? Because he won a horse race?

    Like 10
    Dislike 10
  4. Resident says:

    Did Smith’s comment go over your head? He is not talking about deliberate sexual touch. He means separating students during altercations and other aggressive actions etc. Cause just a miss of the hand can be misstrude. Parents please encourage your children to focus on what they are there for. I’m quite certain it’s children who are not doing well are causing havoc.

    Like 23
    Dislike 1
    • @Resident says:

      Security guards are apart of education personnel (directly and indirectly) I am sure you are not too ignorant to believe that all security guards are not pedophiles. Like CAHS, there are have been students who lodge sexual complaints against school personnel. We need to be careful about putting our hands on children (boys and girls) and get to the root cause of the problem.

  5. Find other ways says:

    We do not see them in BVI, but the people who catch stray animals to take them to the pound do not touch the animals at all, they use a stick with a rope to grab them and lure them to the back of the van and place them in a cage….. problem solved no touching. Implement something similar Top Priority.

    Like 9
    Dislike 3
  6. Roger Burnett says:

    Enhanced security measures are one thing, but getting down to the root cause of the problem is another.

    And the root cause unruly behaviour is staring the Education Authority in the face, and it has nothing to do with discipline per se.

    I have previously tried to elaborate on this news site but my reasoning was not published.

  7. my2cents says:

    Have a water hose and when they misbehave like that, hose them down until they cool out. Additionally I would only tell Lesmore, that if you bring the metal detectors then use them everyday, once they know they’re only there for show they’ll be meaningless.

  8. ... says:

    This is sad!

    We are so gloves on that people call it an altercation, while fight is easier to type.

    When students are fighting they must be separated to ensure their life. ever hear of 1 punch K0? 1 punch, drop back and hit your head, dead.

    The adult security guards are trained and bigger let them do what they must to separate & restrain fighting kids! If they start with threats restrain the offender, dont wait.

    Now if I were a kid in that environment, brain still developing with classmates having firearms, fights daily and such id probably bring a wooden stick, or a couple rocks an a sock to be prepared for school & that’s not good imagine how they feel. Kids should be loaded with books not weapons.

    Seems more like a prison than a school!

  9. Simple says:

    Let the kids do what they want and then when they cannot find jobs or function as an adult we ship them to the UK. The level of ignorance on these threads is mind blowing. Leave the children, don’t touch the children, the children have rights blah blah then we wonder why they are all f**ked up in the head. To the people saying this generation of kids are bad, wrong, they are ALL ENTITLED SOFT PU**IES that throw tantrums for everything. Why? Because we make them believe the world revolves around them. When we were growing up is some big fist and slap you get in your a** for doing f**k. Now we want to say let’s talk it over. Good, let’s see how that goes. I’m not saying we should abuse the kids but let’s be real, the kids are taking us for a ride because they know you can’t do s**t except talk. While we are here blogging, there are students who physically assaulted a Teacher at the school and nobody has been arrested or expelled. Go figure!

    Like 8
    Dislike 2
  10. Every thing stem from the home says:

    Domino Effect:
    Home- parents first responders
    Safe, secure two parents
    Father – out at a bar almost all night
    Mother- Work, come home: see home and school work done, deal with school meetings, run household
    Father- walk in , wife or girl friend tired , bath , eat and hop in bed looking sex from tired mom
    Arguments start
    Children hearing
    or
    Father sleep out half night with sweet ting
    Mother cussing
    Bad words like rain
    Children angry
    Act out in school or
    Just a little scenario
    Some of them fathered by married men
    Children on both side of the fence angry
    My country going to the dogs . The majority of trouble chikdren are broken because of their parents unfaithfulness whether it is on the part of the man or women

    Like 12
  11. Nonsense says:

    Metal detecters should be instituted for everyday use. Search every bag, then body search if the metal alarm goes off. No question asked. Simple. Stop dancing around the issue.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Pedos go where they have close access to children.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  13. FACTS says:

    The majority of these children are offsprings with family ties to the most consistently violent crimes in the Northern hemisphere, Their DNA is programed and their culture is the reinforcement.The BVzi did thus horrific destruction to themselves and knowingly. The BVI is now ashes of its former character which afforded them the success. No more. Sit back for the treacherous fall or find a home elsewhere. For certain expose and afford your children an education abroad. No future in the VI worth their hanging around.
    The new demographic is who they are and cannot change anytime soon.

  14. Raw Dog says:

    Garbage in. Garbage Out.
    These kids are the offshoot of the human garbage imported and installed in excess to ” build up,: And building in the likeness of their home country is the result…What would anyone expect.Any country..UK USA,Canada where the community is a concentration of these updeislun folks,the results are the same..violence crime poverty handouts as an entitlement nasty Garbage strewened living failing
    education..

  15. “Kids you call them” says:

    They are not kids/children. They are adults wreaking havoc on the school. They have surpassed eighteen years of age. They need to be out of that environment intimidating those that are of school age and wants to learn.

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