Lost generation! Weed, coke in edibles at school — MALE leader
A local youth group leader in the Virgin Islands said he felt the territory has lost a generation of young persons and now needs to rebuild from the core.
Henderson Tittle, the Coordinator of Mentoring Anointed Leaders Everywhere (MALE), said the BVI is in trouble if persons don’t support those trying to help stem the tide.
“There is no time for us to deny that our generation, the younger generation, have lost their heart for empathy,” Tittle told the Rotary Club of Tortola recently. “There’s no heart and that’s my problem. You look in their eyes and their very soul, there’s no soul.”
Tittle said his group has launched a ‘venting room’ at the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) where students meet on Friday afternoons to release stress. “You get to hear stuff, and it makes you feel like, ‘where are we heading?’,” Tittle said.
Tittle also supported recent claims by Education Minister Sharie de Castro that there is a rampant drug problem affecting the high school, particularly with young girls.
According to Tittle, edibles — marijuana-laced cookies — are a popular item at the school, but he noted that students are now mixing this with cocaine. “We have students, girls who are taking off their underwear and they’re swinging it. This is the stage we’re at because they are so high, they’re not even conscious of what they’re doing.”
Too many brass knuckles
He remarked that it becomes even more dangerous when he gets phone calls from students asking for him to bail them from the police station because their parents are not coming.
According to Tittle, some of the brass knuckles found on students at the high school even have knives on them. “It is serious! I’ve never seen so much brass knuckles in all my life,” the MALE Coordinator said about his observations at the ESHS.
Tittle said he asked officials as they were designing the new wing of the high school how they could build a high school and not have a metal detector at the gate.
“They said to me, ‘Mr Tittle our children, we’re not criminals. Why are you going to put a [metal detector at the gate?]’. But now they’re saying how important it is to have that because there are children who are walking in the schools and they’re walking in the schools with all these weapons.”
I can make more money on my scooter
Tittle further said some of the boys at the school are being placed on suspension for a month or more for such infractions and suggested that someone should engage them in other activities such as gardening, for instance. Once the boys are at home after being placed on suspension, Tittle said this gives them an opportunity to create more war.
Even darker and more dangerous pursuits
But the youth leader hinted that youths are engaged in darker and even more dangerous pursuits than carrying around brass knuckles at the high school.
“I said to a young man, I will give you a hundred dollars to work in the garden this Saturday. He laughed at me,” Tittle said. “A hundred dollars? I can get on my scooter and make more than that.”
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Imagine they haven’t even entered into the job world as yet and they are claiming to be stressed. And what role are the parents playing in these children lives??? Some parents allow their children to do as they please and if you hear how some of them talk to their own parents.
Pray for the Youths that have been lead astray. It’s rather unfortunate most of these are the results of children having children and young adults who thinks being their children’s friend or buddy rather than trying to get assistance in learning to be a Parent. Disciplining a child doesn’t mean you donot love them, but refusing to acknowledge and condoning their improper and unruly behaviour does.
…for screwing up the national youth policy put in place by the NDP that was designed to combat against all of this. See what happens when you have zero experience and only for self? You cost the country a whole generation. Please be gone. Thank you.
Fleeting illusions to be pursued. A lot of children, not all are very rude.
This generation is no different to previous ones. Not trying to defend them as there are some serious issues but the main difference is that everything is now recorded and shared in record time so it appears worst. The kids are also watching the examples the adults set so instead of bashing them every minute try setting a proper example for them and making time for them. The youth are relegated to their electronic devices while parents do the same or worst. Support the youth and stop the f**king bashing at every corner. What about the youth that are doing EXTREMELY WELL locally and internationally? Let us highlight those in the hopes of encouraging the ones that have issues. Sick of it! Those of us that attended BVI High School back in the day can attest to seeing all sorts but we came out okay. The youth need genuine all around support, not just selective bashing.
They need metal detectors, search of the compounds for hiding spaces, police presence and random check of the students. Stop playing with people lives, stop sweeping things under the rug…STOP!
The generation is NOT LOST. They have been ignored and cast aside by our generation but we feel better about ourselves just blaming the kids. When we were growing up, our parents and grand-parents made sacrifices for us and ensured we had well-rounded experiences. Now everyone is on tik-tok and other platforms wasting time and losing out on real life so the kids have nobody to look up to. Blame the adults, not the youth.
Koke is expensive who is really wasting it by putting it in edibles to give to children. Chewps.
This is very alarming. Where did we go wrong? Parents are working 2 and 3 jobs to provide food. Fathers are absent or couldn’t care less. Churches are not reaching the youth. Govt has a big role to play. We need more after school activities. Big brother/sister organisations. Police too need to hold scooter riders accountable. There should be a curfew for school age children. Something has to be done. What will the future look like?
CDB not coke its liquid ganja
When I was younger, my mother told me in no uncertain words that if I ever got in trouble with the law that I would stand before the judge on my own. She meant it.
I was at the stage of life where friends were beginning to influence my decisions increasingly negatively getting me in some minor yet concerning trouble in my neighborhood.
The way my mother expressed those words to me I knew she meant it as she was serious as cancer; I never forgot them.
That admonition from my mother shaped my life for the better. I knew up front that if I did indeed got in trouble with the law, she was not coming to my rescue. She had already made a point to tell me so.
As I grew and left my parents house, and moved away on my own, those words were still stuck in my head. Every where I go, situation I encountered, and people I met, those words would always come back to me.
It’s as if my mother was always on my shoulders. I could not get those words out of my mind, and quite frankly I attribute that warning from my mother to setting me on the path of living a law abiding life for he rest of my life to this day.
I share my story to suggest that much of what is transpiring among the younger generation today stems from what is occurring in their homes. If their are no fathers there to teach their sons how to be men, and how to conduct themselves, we can expect these kinds of behavior among our young people particularly our young men.
Once these kids start quite frankly engaging in illegal or illicit behavior, then it becomes a law enforcement issue.
I believe much of this behavior stems from dysfunctional/broken homes and failed upbringing. Failed upbringing that has spilled over from the home and into the schools and eventually the legal system. It’s a tragedy that is hard to fix once it leaves the homes.
Unfortunately, I don’t see this problem going away any time soon because so many families are broken today without fathers in those homes. Compounding the problem children cannot be disciplined like days gone by without it becoming a legal issue for them.
Despite it all, I do believe that all effort should be made to help as many of these kids as possible. They are acting up for a reason. They need help now before they become statistical criminals of tomorrow.
The schools are not fully equipped to deal with this problem as there main job is to educate. Law enforcement eventually has to get involved. The onus is on the parents to try to fix their broken children.
Is there any way that the pipelines through which the kids are obtaining drugs can be traced? And if traced, those involved have SERIOUS repercussions land on them? These supply lines are probably the most serious crimes in the country; they are affecting not just a few individuals but rather a whole generation of our future!
These byproducts of baby mommas and unknown Daddys
are predictably following the script written by their DNA,karma and curses of countries in the Caribbean where they originated . They’re not just children. They are children of a human phonomena on the World stage, a venue jn the Caribbean chain of Islands big and small. They are tomorrows BVI.
These VI are destined for the worse,knowingly given your jewels to pigs. A sin and rejection of your ancestors and your Blessings.
Thats what you get when you put an Id**t as the Principal. Thank A F for that. He has screwed up the country big time.
The seed don fall far from the tree. Look around. We are living in a narco state. The [former] Premier waiting for sentencing.
These ‘parents’ don’t raise they kids anymore. People with no job driving around in go-fast boats they shouldn’t be able to afford, wearing gold chains, looking like gangsters.
The government needs zero tolerance. The people need to show these youth the way you supposed to behave. Keep seeing people drinking and smoking weed on-the-job. This is nonsense. Be an adult. Mentor a kid. This is everyone’s job!
After the passage of the hurricanes and the children were placed in Pasea it provided the perfect environment for the deviants to flourish. They set up their headquarters in the bush and started a serious drug business that has been ongoing for years now. Absenteeism was rampant as the students became more involved in the “Business” than classes. This is not a joke or exaggeration I witnessed what was happening and wondered why was it allowed to continue. Now these are the initiates that are spreading the drug culture throughout the school system. Parents need to be extra cautious about their children’s well being in this highly toxic environment.
so what you’re saying is, it’s the words of your mother that resonated with you and kept you on the right path even to this day. however it’s the absence of fathers that’s causing children to go astray and make wrong decisions in today’s society? ok.
The young people are told that drugs help them to learn,and think things through …
May God help us!
Is true. They put a woman that can’t even get her own children under control as a … Her big wompy daughter literally beats her up! The big son always in trouble. The small son just shot somebody a few months back. This is not a real place.
Our current High School youth had little school for over 4 years.
So the community adults pat themselves on the back at ‘starting back’, expecting High schoolers to plunk their butts in chairs for 6-7 hours a day? Was any of this thought through? Of course not.
Even teenagers that were sucessful through the trickle-down neglect and lockdowns had to rely on themselves and learn in self directed ways.
We expected our youth to ‘think outside the box’ in terms of their own education for nearly half a decade. Now it’s our turn.
Policing them into submission isn’t going to work.
Let me clarify. What I am suggesting is that parents (mothers and fathers) are responsible for raising their children in the right way. It’s not the schools jobs.
In my case, I had both parents to keep me in line. It was however, the words of my mother that made the difference for me in staying on the straight and narrow.
Now, we all know that much of these problemed youth are mostly young men. There is a direct correlation between the absence of fathers in the homes raising their children and their future behaviors particularly around the issue of respect for authority.
This lack of respect for authority is more prevalent among young men who at some point in their lives feels their mothers cannot speak to them anymore especially as they begin to outgrow them physically.
The bottom line is mothers can only do so much to raise their children, particularly their sons. A male figure in a child’s life makes a big difference.
While I remember my mothers words, my father was right behind her to whip me into shape when I got out of hand.
I also had the community or village that raised me as well. Back in my youth, if I was seen doing anything wrong or actually did something wrong by neighbors, I would be reported to my parents, who would in turn give them “satisfaction” (a good cut @$$). Problem solved.
The point is absent fathers needs to be in the home taking care of their children at best or involved in some way even if not in the home and not be sperm donors leaving their poorly raised and dysfunctional children for society to fix.
If people are not prepared to assume the responsibility of parenthood, imo they should seriously consider not having children.
If you do and fall short like all parents do at some point, it is your obligation to keep trying to help the children you brought into this world get on the right path rather than leaving them up to the schools and society to deal with what those parents failed to do.
I would like to be the first here to thank Henderson for all his work over the years.
He has done so much for the youth here over the years….
Thank you Brother !
There are 100+ different cultures and nationalities currently in the VI.
So far one demographic stands out as the deviant offenders in all areas.. No surprise. They would be doing likewise and worse
if they were in they and their parents originating country in preparation for their adult life and living their “life” as they see and know it.
Blame our immigration machinery operated
irresponsibly and with no consideration for the VI,it’s people and the future.
In 1964 the first major hotel and tourism property/business (Little Dix Bay) opened on Virgin Gorda. Workers came from practically all over the Caribbean to get their share of the Yankee Dollar Bill.
The women started missing church on Sundays (they had to show up for work, days and nights).The children were being left alone in the homes; some with grandma’s to keep watch and do what she could. As money began to flow the churches began to be emptier and emptier. Televisions and radios became popular and the kids left at home while parents went to work were free to watch and listen to what they care to. That situation gradually over time seemed workable …and it did.So what we have today is Greed and more greed by everyone; since the taste of money meant eating whatever one wanted, (greasy, oily food etc), and of course with money in pockets, everything suddenly became in reach..
As the money continued to flow, neighbors and friendships began to drift apart. At Christmas time households had enough money flowing that the visitation and caroling dried up. Households could stock up on their own booze and food stuff, hams, new carpets etc.
What I’m saying is that the taste of money also developed Greed and more concern for one’s self and forgetfulness for other things. Including their religion, togetherness etc.
So, the kids have long been ana donde and allowed their freedom to do as they please.
Bottom line? The Chickens are home to roost
This article gave me goosebumps when I read it. We choose popular instead of committed candidates as leaders, most of whom are clueless and whose main goal is to line their pockets. The state of this place is deplorable and it saddens me to see that we are letting this beautiful place look so trashy.
Our children have been neglected big time. They live what they learn, and we are not creating the correct environment for all of them to thrive. The whole sorry mess is heart-rending.
We need to take back our Territory from the scumbags who casually toss garbage out of their vehicles’ windows on to the roadway without giving a hoot, the opportunists who rob us blind, and even those hoodlums who sport those bull chains around their necks. We need to adopt a zero tolerance and send a strong message to offenders that badness is outta style.
Enough is enough. We have gone to the extreme (or to the dogs).
This been going on for years with no response by Government
This unfortunate situation is not one that affects all the children of the VI. To insinuate that it is,would be false and most of all, an insult to the majority of the VI parents whose children are not raised to be drug dealers,users and truant.
Repeat: The referenced drug problem as seen so far is attributed to a specific demographic along with the stealing,violence and threats of violence
and is applicable to adults in that same demographic component.
These children are mimicking their caretakers and doing what is naturally and routinely the way they are taught by example to live and function.
Well Sah. Used to be smoke a little weed get a little high now it’s smoke a little weed get every orifice violated potentially. Still want unregulated weed? Seems reckless to just legalize this thing to me without properly thinking thing out
I am this mother and this mother is me! I cannot tell you how many times I have said it to my kids.
If you go to jail, I am not coming. Call everyone else, but don’t call me because I am not coming.
I am this mother and this mother is me. Your children should know who you are, where your boundaries are and they should trust you to keep your word. Even in this.
Yes weed is already unregulated and that’s the main cause of adulterated products. By having it remain illegal the whole market is given to criminals.
If anyone should know what it feels like to be under prohibition its those kids inside school walls. The problem of weapons, drugs and the culture of fighting that is allowed among students is probably due to the teachers permissiveness & curriculum.
Keep voting for progressives[libs]and you will end up like the States cities all run by Dems!
AM not surprised and some bloggers just pointing bfingers as usual this fiasco was revealing itself a long time ago , but you all hypocrites were looking the other way and sweeping it under the rug , to satisfy byour greed for power ,while the country was beginning to deteriorate / do you think the youths on scooters is natural / even their friends getting killed , don’t deter them , because the are on the white lady and they were allowed do their thing and when the police intervened , you hypocrites were jumping non them by saying , them island police only harassing our youths who is entitled ,well those same youths are the ones spreading the weed / coke and other drugs around , the high school is just another avenue or playing field , / and who the WIG dude going to blame now , he’s been blogging racism lyrics like he invented it , it’s the UK fault its jaspert fault , it’s the colonialist fault , some of them even sat down in the street to fool the people with their fake protest while the youths flexing off on eachother with guns / did you all expect that it would disappear , well its boiling over now ( too much corruption ( those are just some of the facts ) like it or not
This is a generation of kids who were cheated of proper parenting. THE PARENTLESS GENERATION.
Much youth send Tortola when them poor grandmother they it left with back home with can’t take them on once Dem get hair Pon the seed..and tell the mother send for your child you hear…then they fall in with the rest.
Stop burying your head under the sand
1. Younger children are thrown in front of the TV and internet and it trains them
2. Children are left unattended to watch the internet where they are exposed to sexual activities of all kinds with no parental supervision
3. Mothers and fathers cheating on each other and telling children do as I say not as I do
4. Parents gone to church and leave young ones at home sleeping The Theme : “ Young people “ to cover up
5. Pastors compromising if their children are guilty of disobedience
6. Parents allowing high schoolers to sleeping in their homes with boyfriends
7. Parents allowing teenagers to come in and go out as they like with no restrictions
8. Young children locking up their rooms on internet in the wee hours of the morning
What do you expect
Parents vex when you correct their children …. Blame yourself ..: You dropped the ball
Stop compromising and shielding your children when they do wrong
Set boundaries and put your foot down don’t wait until they become teenagers
If that is your thinking no wonder we are where we are
@hm – it’s unregulated but unlawful. Try lawfully unregulated. That means wide spread junk (weather lased with coke or something else) being distributed openly. Look at YouTube and see Kennsington PA and the drug problem they have with Tranc ( a lot of the people hooked thought they were smoking one thing and didn’t realize they were taking horse tranquilizers). Walking zombies and open flesh wounds. If you legalize regulate so there is a level of accountability
The s son that shoot the person likes man he and his lil gay crew scared of real woman and f**k with school kids…heard he’s gay on the low also
they see what the adults do. how did the kids know t make such edibles?
” legalize regulate so there is a level of accountability ”
I agree. Many of the problems come because its illegal.
Back when alcohol was illegal people were dying from wood alcohol poisoned left & right. Back then people could not trust the alcohol sold aka moonshine served was from a safe source.
how they wasting it. the children selling them at school. The other children paying for these edibles on school grounds.
they do respond but it is the lack of action towards the problems. We need xero tolerance to the behaviour and strict community hours of discipline. Not just suspension.
Your life story is a good example of how children should wake up, but there is a problem – it is in the programming of the internet and tv which was created by the same super-power nations who are telling us what to do. The governments of these nations allow their private sector to create sinister programmes to damage us and our children and then come back to us with the solutions of which some are rhetoric. Solution to all this, pray parents and do what you can, and leave the rest to God, Jehovah.
does it matter where a person is from ?? That’s not the issue , how about the people who knew of or who is involved in the imported drugs and is benefiting from it and know what it’s doing to the youths mind and body and still continue to supply them with it / and its no secret that people know who they are but worship them as is it ain’t no big deal because they can drop a little taste of the pie , that what should be focused on , don’t yiu
Think so ,? The school grounds is inly one of the places that drugs is being distributed , those scooter riders are are drug runners for years now , as those people who wants to fool themselves can continue , because we have seen the btmrutal murder of the guy in fish bay , were they ( OLD ) People who flex off how BAD they are . THIS IS REAL another example , of the lady who was robbed and gunned down in her home , were they ( OLD ) PEOPLE ???? and the whole thing was orchestrated by one of the entitled youths that she showed kindness to , / DID ANY POLITICIAN RUNNING FOR ELECTION SAT IN THE STREET AND CONDEMNED IT ????
@ hm – the legislators are speaking legalize but not regulate. If they do regulate they must tread intentionally in order to keep vulnerable people safe and ensure a thriving market. That’s a problem. One note musicians we call bVI elected officials are lame AF
Thank you Mr Tittle! There are good things and alarming things to consider about our youth. Understandably, the negative would give much cause for concern. Thank you again for all your effort to influence young males positively.
I can say there will always be challenges with living, growing and adjusting to life. The youths of yesterday are today’s adults; and today’s youths are tomorrow’s adults. One generation raises the next and some try to rectify the issues of previous generations while others may be clueless or even careless that any problem exists.
I believe that much of the issues start at home but that outside influence may also have effects to erode some of the best efforts of good upbringing. I appreciated the post where someone shared their story about the influence their mother had on their life while being raised by both parents. I think this is very much ideal but appreciate that there are varying reasons why single parent household exist e.g widow/er. None gets to choose into which family they are born.
I grew up in a home with both parents. Unfortunately, my mom and dad fought (physically and verbally), he was a cheating man and the jury is out on whether she ever did. That was not a happy reality for me. However, I also remember happy times when my parents were not fighting but trying to make things work. We had laughter while watching comedy and they are both very funny, we ate ice cream, went to the beach and other events. Yet, the marriage ended in divorce.
My parents were not good together but they both worked hard to provide. We did not have much and I would consider us poor but we had food to eat, went to public school and had shelter over our heads. They struggles to make ends meet.
My parents disciplined my siblings and I; and my mom gave us chores to do around the house and whether we liked it or not. There was an unspoken understanding that my parents were the authority in our home. If I spoke back to my parents, it was in my head. Then and now I did not agree or like many things but they were out of my control and I learned to cope. I can also admit that I did wrongs that they were not aware. I was by no means a perfect child but just stayed within the set boundaries. I did not have the benefit of grandparents but had aunties and uncles that were fun loving and cool. Never had I considered that they could be my ally to put my parents in line when I did not like their behavior, decisions or discipline.
I remember one morning in Elementary school hearing that a girl was beaten to death by her mother. I did not know either of them but the news was real and sad. That girl was likely abused prior to her death. Unfortunately, we live in a time when the lines between discipline and abuse have been blurred. Some of those who are willing to discipline their children are being labelled abusers and some children who do not want to be disciplined are finding allies at school, other family members and friends. Some of the village is no longer helping to raise our kids but contributing toward their demise. There are parents who are trying their best with their own child but labelled as the problem because they are willing to make the unpopular decision like “not bailing that kid out of trouble” despite the warnings. That is until that child becomes a problem to the ‘labeler’. It then become very easy to shift blame.
To those parents who try their best to teach their child/ren by example right from wrong, keep it up. To those teachers who try their best to teach our children and care enough to collaborate with willing parent in their upbringing, keep it up. There is such a thing as right and wrong, good and evil, discipline and abuse. Even with the best of effort you may not immediately see the fruitful but do the right thing anyway. Do the right thing even if your back is against the wall. There is a big difference between a 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 year old. Youths do not stay that way forever but come to an age of accountability to take responsibility for their own action despite any good or bad that their parent/s did. The line are blurry when wrong is right and right is wrong.
Everyone has a story and even within the same generation, the stories would differ. Despite all my emotional hurdles, I grew to appreciate being content with little, how to take care of my home, the value of working hard, what not to look for in a man. I learned many lessons and the journey continues. If you were raised in a broken home that does not mean you have to stay broken.
Wonderfully stated. Your words are appreciated.
Marijuana-laced cookies? Girls taking off their underwear and swinging them because they are so high?
I don’t know about you but I’m going back to school!
It continues because you saw and never did anything about it.
What happens when we forget God?
BVI return to the God of our elders