‘Gun talk’ draws rebuke at high school debate forum
A discussion about crime and security among high schoolers at a recent debate forum ended with a strong rebuke from a school official after students alleged that guns were on the school campus.
Earlier this week, the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) overcame St. Georges Secondary School to emerge victorious in the final round of the Education Ministry’s annual Inter-Secondary School debates.
A post-debate discussion ensued, which veered towards the sensitive topic of firearms and other weapons on school premises.
Participants argued for and against implementing metal detectors, with some advocating for increased security to prevent potential violence. Others, however, expressed concerns that such measures could foster a climate of distrust and fear among students and staff.
Amid the lively discussion, a claim was made about guns being brought into the Elmore Stoutt High School campus, sparking immediate attention and concern from both peers and educators present.
Orlandette Crabbe, the Acting CEO of the Education Ministry, addressed the claim head-on, emphasising her awareness of school activities and disputing the assertion that guns had been found on campus. Crabbe chided students for laughing about the issue and insisted that if such an incident had occurred, it would not have escaped her notice.
“What we do well in the BVI – and we’ve trained our children to do it by modelling it – we make people’s opinion a fact,” Crabbe said. “And you don’t know that there are guns on your campus. And your principals are sitting here. And I believe that if we have information about a gun on campus, I would know. It’s not a joke.”
She added: “I have a serious problem with the fact that y’all are laughing at it… I emphatically disagree with metal detectors being on campus, and I say this both as the acting CEO and as a parent.”
Crabbe underscored the importance of not only securing schools from potential threats but also addressing the underlying issues that lead to such concerns among students.
The CEO further pointed out that there was a need to address mental health issues, improve conflict resolution skills, and nurture a school culture that prioritises the well-being and safety of all students.
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metal detectors are needed on campus not just for guns but also for knives, anyone who is against this is a fool
I so agree with you, they need metal detector there children carrying stuff in that school.
High powered nonsense. If the children say that there are guns on campus, how can Ms. George say it is not true, as if she is all seeing and all knowing about what goes on at ESHS. SMH
When the students were asked if they had ever seen a gun and didn’t respond, that’s putting them in a position to be questioned as to WHO HAD A GUN!
They’re not responding does not mean they were going off of hear say.
For the CEO to say that they emphatically disagree with metal detectors at school is no different than saying they are against metal detectors at ports of entry and certain court houses.
It is one thing to aim at protecting students’ mental health but at the same time we cannot trust everyone and STILL HAVE TO TAKE SECURITY MEASURES TO PROTECTS STUDENTS’ LIVES.
That was Mrs. Crabbe talking rubbish not Ms. George.
Exactly, they are on campus and they are among their peers. They know, she doesn’t point blank period. Her strong rebuke is over the top and she’d better take her head out the sand and face the reality of the times we are living in. Sometimes we are too busy trying to preserve our image/ego and not understanding what is taking place on the ground.
POINT BLANK PERIOD!!!!!!!
A REAL SK**T MS G
Hello.
Children Are carrying weapons to school, there was a case a month a back where a child carry a knockle with pointy sharp edges to school and punch a guy in his face and burst it, to date I have not heard of anything happen,just a few days suspension and back to school like nothing never happen..
Who knows better than those children regarding the
content of their school mates pockets their backpacks etc.
Me too, I am laughing but only to keep from crying
Orlandette Crabbe doth protest too much.
What a place. Children lives are at stake,daily threatened by the caricom spawns but the secrets and bold face unapologetic lies continue and that is the lesson and their homework that seeps into formation of their character as dispensibl.
The reality is that there is a presence of guns and various killer weapons in the school. HUG YOUR CHILDREN TIGHT AND PRAY FOR THEIR SAFETY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE COMPUlSORY SCHOOL SETTING in these BVI.
40 years ago no student would even think about bringing a gun to school. But hey it was a very different time in Tortola back then. Life is Real. Be safe out there everyone.
The CEO’s perspective is on point.
“The CEO further pointed out that there was a need to address mental health issues, improve conflict resolution skills, and nurture a school culture that prioritises the well-being and safety of all students.”
This will realise longer term results. However, results in the short term need to be addressed now so it is equally important to have metal detectors in place at least until the longer term results start to be realised.
Both solutions are the way forward.
Good luck to all.
You are either the CEO’s family, friend, or delusional alike.
I can like your comment a thousand times. It’s one of her cronies or friends that she gave or promised a position. Strupes
Wrong wrong and wrong. So what does that make you. That island full of neenees.
They need to put their ego away. I’m out of school for decades but even at private school there was rumor about students having gun and doing drugs in school and I’m not talking about weed. If that was years and years ago at a private school I can only imagine these public school kids with a fight near daily have seen enough to say whether there are weapons on campus or not.
The teachers are the police on campus things will be hidden from them ofcourse.
Mrs Cr needs to tone it down. Her attitude in her opinion or none. Her way or the high way. In short, big bully. She has taken it to the students now. Who would give information to someone who behaves like that? The students have no adult to talk to because it’s all about ego.
If she is seeing what is happening in the US with these students on the campuses and is still against it , then we we got a serious problem / it looks like she has a crab mentality , and should of stayed in her hole
Metal detectors being required in Tortola high school would be an admission that this fundamentalist ‘Christian’ society is actually a long way into complete collapse. We don’t know who we are or who we want to be so we have kids running around with guns just like their fathers, many of who have money from the cartel business either direct or indirectly, and many of who don’t see their children anyway. Lot of parents don’t care how the youth are raised because in this fundamentalist ‘Christian’ society the only thing people worship is money. Let them go play on motorbikes with guns and run some coke to STJ, cover for them when someone gets shot dead, etc etc
Poor teachers – many of them care and are good people trying to do right in a society well into a tail spin.