Principal advised teacher to wash child’s mouth with detergent, court told
The Magistrate’s Court has been told that the school teacher who ‘washed out’ an 11-year-old child’s mouth with a noxious substance as a form of discipline was advised to do so by a superior at the school.
In a tearful message to the court today, Tiye Hodge expressed her regret and shame for the action.
She also apologised to the court as well as the victim and her family for any harm or distress caused.
The defendant, who was a 23-year old teacher at the Ivan Dawson Primary School when the incident happened, had pleaded guilty to the charge of using a noxious substance in a negligent manner when she previously appeared in court.
The court was told that prior to the January 2020 incident, Hodge had complained to her principal about one of her student’s constant use of foul and indecent language in her class.
Hodge’s lawyer, Valerie Stephens-Gordon, informed the court that the principal reportedly told the defendant that using Dettol or alcohol to wash out a child’s mouth was a disciplinary method that could be used. She also claimed the principal told Hodge this was a method she had employed while teaching at a school in Anegada.
On the other occasion when the child allegedly used the foul language, Hodge was said to have given her the noxious substance to gargle. Stephens-Gordon said Hodge did not mean any harm to the child, she merely thought it was an acceptable method since it was suggested by her superior.
Nonetheless, Stephens-Gordon said Hodge is remorseful and accepts full responsibility for her actions as she should have used better judgment before taking action.
Her lawyer asked the court for a merciful sentence and noted Hodge is willing to compensate the victim for any medical expenses that were incurred from the incident. She also said her client was willing to pay compensation upwards of $2,000 for any emotional distress the incident caused.
Stephens-Gordon also asked for community service instead of a custodial sentence. The maximum penalty for the offence is six months imprisonment or a fine of $500.
Properly rehabilitated
The attorney argued that her client could be properly rehabilitated into society and her intelligence could be of service to various organisations in the territory through volunteerism.
Stephens-Gordon told the court Hodge did counselling sessions to gauge her mental and psychological state and the Social Inquiry Report indicates she accepted full responsibility for the act and acknowledged she should have exercised better judgment at the time. Stephens-Gordon further noted that the report did not indicate any criminal intent behind the educator’s actions but rather negligence.
Character witness
The attorney also brought a character witness to testify on the behalf of Hodge. Bernadine Walters-Louis, who is the Director of the Virgin Islands Studies Institute at the H Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) described Hodge as a congenial and hardworking lady.
She noted she has known Hodge for her entire life and over the past year she has withdrawn because of the incident. She also begged the court to be merciful in sentencing and not impose a custodial sentence as Hodge has seen the error in her judgment.
Stephens-Gordon also submitted three written character witness statements to the court.
They were Marvel Wheatley-Dawson, Dean of the Workforce Training Division at HLSCC, Dr Janet Smith, former HLSCC President and Kimberly Anthony, a teacher.
The court was adjourned until January 24, 2022, for sentencing.
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so if she had told you to jump off a cliff
Let’s not act dumb…we all know how rude this generation is. They have no respect for themselves nor for their elders and many parents are too slack with their children. Some of them are so rude, they had to be kicked out of school and are now working at a car wash or just sitting in the block.IF you see them in public doing foolishness and you try to correct them, they are quick to curse you off.
So you trying to justify why this teacher washed the child mouth out with dettol?? Because this generation is rude???? I hope you don’t have children miss ma’am!!!!!
Sound so stupid
since when it’s bad for anyone to work at a carwash. I sure hope you wash your own vehicle.
jackass all jobs are important.
By your comment I can tell you have not been Blessed with the gift of a child, because even a child or any human being use a bad word this punishment is worst than any bad word , the child could have been dead. The word the child used that day was hell which is where you and the principle are headed , Ms Hodge has said she is sorry which I believe she is, but you and Mrs B shame on you also shame on of all the teachers who knew and tried cover it, the 2 teachers who witnessed and were laughing , God was watching . The teacher who was busy questioning all the students trying to find out who leaked the story remember you have quite a few children yourself PAPA GOD DO NOT SLEEP.
total b.s, the lady is an adult, she should’ve been able to think for herself
It’s the same thing I asked myself, if the principal had told her to go and kill the child she would think it was acceptable just the same and do it.
The only method of discipline this principal has ever received was being transferred to another school. She is a huge problem at every single school she is head of but when you are protected by the leaders of the country. We have no standards in this country and allow these bad principals to continue being employed at the expense of our children. She needed to be fired year’s ago.
Shorty I’m with you. The principal got a slap on the wrist from what i heart. Big sister has clout and she exercised that. The country is a sad place when things like this can go about at the expense of the kids.
School she is at now was under great leadership and now she gone there and kapoot. Flip flop.
This Principal should be ashamed of herself. She needs to bring pride back to the BVI and resign. A resignation will be so welcoming. How the hell could in this day and age someone who encourages this behaviour still be in a Principal job? But then again we all know who the family are big supporters of.(# 1st DISTRICT)..this dammn country is so corrupt. smh
So turd world
Should give the child 2 Eucalyptus mints (the original one) To suck
Kidding me? What the……. Lord send help.
More people should wash kids mouths out with soap!!!
Reading this story brings several questions to mind. Where did this child learn this type of behaviour from? What is going on around him especially outside of his school life?
Did the teacher speak to his parents about his behaviour? Did they have any solutions on how to handle this?
What were the other options for punishment?
I’m also concern about the advice given to this young teacher. The advice given to her by the principal was dead wrong. This is child endangerment. What if that child was poison or suffer from some longer term side effects. Who pays for this. The principal needs to held accountable also. She gave bad advice to a up and coming teacher. She should know better. She is older and has more experience and should have employ other methods of corrections but not this. After all to become a principal, she spent a few years teaching.
The word the child used was a word she learned from the time she was taught how to pray she learned Heaven and she learned hell the hell is the word she used that does not justify giving her poison
Yes she used it in the wrong context but hell is a word we all have used one way or the other
I know some people does drink alcohol.
And some does bade with dettol.
But never in my life, I say no; not once, I never hear them gargle lysol.
Now understand me and get what I mean,
anytime you want your mouth to be clean,
Go get a strong teethpaste and a firm teethbrush and then gargle with some listerine!
SO THE PRINCIPAL CAN JUST BE FREE AND STILL IN A PRINCIPAL JOB. HMMMMM THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
This BVI of ours has gone to the dogsssss. look at what we have to deal with. In spite of what the child said she had no right to tell the teacher to give the child dettol. What kinda person is this itch. But then again, she done flush hers down the toilet and trying to poison other people own. She need to be dealt with harsh and her job taken away from her. She have no heart and is not disciplined. Nothing like her mom and sister. I am not a saint but I would NOT do that to anyone child/children because I know what it is to have a child to care for and nurture them. I truly hope the premier take this one seriously.
You must not be educated to not know that this was not an acceptable form of discipline. You are not fit to teach our children. At some point commom sense or some sort of education should have used. Apparently you have none. You are saying that once your superior says something it is right. No questions asked. That is shameful!
To tell you the truth, some children just aren’t worth teaching. Simply because they are plain plumb out of place. When you go the parents, they themselves don’t know what to do with their child. And you know what, teachers still try to put something in their cesspool brain. Inspite of.
I applaud all teachers who go out of their way. I have seen it. we are not talking about all teachers here. This is an individual case.
The parents should be allowed to deliver 3 clenched fists to the faces of these idiots who thought this was a feasible reprimand in any shape or form.
The principal for suggesting it and the teacher for being just as stupid for carrying it out. Neither would be happy if it happened to a child of theirs, I’m sure; so why do they think it would have been alright to do to someone else’s?
None of them have children.
The Lawyer to. Such a disgrace.
teacher disciplined, principal got off the hook and the child continues to curse bad words
Well Damn, she should have known better. I don’t care if it’s the King or Queen you can’t get me to do anything that clearly can be a danger to myself or others.
would of been to contact the child’s parents and invite them to the school and have a meeting together and if it’s done again the child should be expelled
Hmmmm, it’s funny how all of the character witnesses are co-workers of Ms. Hodge’s mother.
I don’t care how “rehabilitated” she is now, what she did to that child was down-right inhumane regardless of how rude or disorderly she claimed the child was. There are other means of discipline/punishment that could’ve been used!
Ms. Hodge has a mind of her own and should’ve known better! Who in their right mind would use such a punishment towards a child or anyone for that matter? And even if she was given that instruction, she didn’t have to follow through with it because it was simply not the right thing to do.
On another note, if there is truth to what Ms. Hodge is claiming, the principal needs to be held to account for this as well, not just Ms. Hodge!!
When I was a preschooler, my very first week in school, this same thing happened to me and that is some serious donkey years ago.
It appears, while much in life has changed, some things have remained the same.
One of my classmates had accidentally stepped on my snickers, and I dropped a F bomb. Needless to say, he reported me to the teacher who took me to the kitchen at my school, held my hands, demanded I stick out my tongue, and proceeded to wash it with a soapy rag.
I never thought of it as something bad done to me by my teacher because I knew I was wrong. I certainly did not report it to my mother because I knew I would have gotten more than my mouth washed out for cursing.
When I got to primary school, I had not learned my lesson and slipped up again dropping another F bomb on another classmate. I had my mouth washed out again by another teacher.
Two schools, two teachers in less than 2 years I had dropped F bombs on classmates and had that form of punishment. I was a riot heading down a road to no where.
I look back on those events in my early school years and the subsequent impact it had on me as a young person and an adult.
I can say without reservation that I am grateful my teachers cared enough about my troublesome behavior back then to have washed out my mouth twice for fowl language.
In retrospect, I would not be who I am today if I had continued using fowl language among other bad behaviors back then.
Things have changed since my mouth got washed for using bad words. Now, we are in a different age and things that were once acceptable are no longer.
While I understand the teachers intent, her actions were inappropriate for the times we live. However, I personally would not like to see her sent off to prison for trying to punish a student for using fowl language.
I wish this matter never went to court, and there was some sort of mediation between the parents, the school, principal and the teacher to resolve this. IMO, it’s unfortunate this matter got to the court, and this case as far as the student is concern may be prove more harmful than good.
I fear the impact this may have on the student beyond any emotional distress he/she may have experience from the teachers actions. Specifically, I fear they may walk away thinking that it was ok to walk around using fowl language and be disrespectful to others.
I fear that is the lesson the student will learn at the end of this, and that any opportunity there was for him/her to change their behavior will be missed. They may very well feel emboldened to continue in life on a path that would not bode well for their future.
A lot of troubled people have a history of past transgressions that started early in life and was not corrected. Bad behavior in younger years always catches up with a person at some point in life. It may not be the cursing, but some other bad behavior stemming from that mindset that will cause them trouble later on in life life.
It would not surprise me if this kid does not change their ways and one day in the future turn around and curse at the very same parents who took this matter to court. It happens all the time. Disrespect starts young, and if unchecked morph typically into something worse as adults.
Teachers have a tough job to do . It’s not easy being a teacher today, and I do not see it getting any better. Unfortunately for this teacher, past disciplinary actions like what occurred with myself and now this student is no longer acceptable.
Despite this, I personally do not believe her action warrants a custodial sentence.
… That was a wicked and inhumane act.
The word the child used was a word she learned from the time she was taught how to pray she learned Heaven and she learned hell the hell is the word she used that does not justify giving her poison
Yes she used it in the wrong context but hell is a word we all have used one way or the other
I find it hard to believe a teacher will do what she was accused of and pled guilty to if the child solely used the word ‘hell”. Thats hard to swallow. There had to be other words used that the teacher found offensive. Sorry I don’t buy that.
HELL IS A WORD WE LEARN AT AN EARLY AGE WE LEARN THERE IS HEAVEN AND HELL , YES THE CHILD USED HELL IN THE WRONG CONTEXT CALL IT CURSE CALL IT EXPRESSION THIS DOES NOT WARRANTY GIVING A CHILD TOXIC POISON , ANY PERSON WHO GIVES ANOTHER HUMAN BEING OR ANIMAL TO INJEST POISON, THEY SHOULD GO STRAIGHT TO HELL
Just because this happened to you decades ago doesn’t mean it’s acceptable now. Times change. We don’t still use maps with USSR on them or use card catalogs in the library. When a child misbehaves there are many ways to deal with that behavior other than physically harming and endangering them.
I clearly stated that the teachers reported action was not acceptable in this age. Dont make things and be quick to disagree without reading what I or anyone else writes. I can understand if you missed it as I wrote quite a bit. We are in agreement on that point.
That’s why society gone to the pits. “Times Change” is the devil tool to omit discipline of children’s lives. Not only the BVi, all places that condone time out over real discipline. Kids these days enjoy timeout. Lysol wasn’t the right choice but a good cut ass at home good enough to put the child to sleep helps. It’s too late now, cause too many adults like yourself done brainwash to thinking discipline is not correct for the new age. We’ll all have to suffer the consequences of this.
You have assumed too much here. I do believe in discipline of children. I was brought up the old fashioned way whereby that good cut behind you mentioned was metted out to me routinely.
However what you described there as punishment is considered child abuse. I do not condone that nor should anyone. Keep that up and you will find yourself before a judge and a child that grows to dislike you.
Punishing kids in that manner should be discouraged rather than encouraged.
You can write a book to try to persuade the impressionable and the unaware but I know better. The Principal needs to be charged and removed from all schools
What is the name of the Principal because he or she needs to also be held accountable.
Check her out now at JS
Joyce Samuel
before that
Ivan Dawson
and CCEC (Anegada School) – check out the granny pushed a teacher story and research how another young teacher treated children under the leadership, protection and guidance of Ms. T.B She may come from a respectable family and her sister may have a nice position in Health Ministry but if she was my family member I would not cover for her. She is devious and dangerous. The education people in the Ministry and their HR should be ashamed to call themselves Christians. They know her history at all the schools and along she trots, getting paid all the while. BVI RISE UP AGAINST THE INJUSTICE. OUR CHILDREN NEED PROTECTION FROM PEOPLE LIKE HER AND THE TEACHERS WHO ARE LED ASTRAY BY HER. I do not feel sorry for them. They are making a choice. Just as she has
“…her intelligence could be of service to various organisations in the territory…” except she’s not intelligent enough to know that this was child abuse. FFS. Next……
No mention on where she’s from, eh?
Well now that Ms Hodge confirmed that the principle is involved and even brags of doing the same thing on Anegada, what is the Ministry going to do about that principle , SHE SHOULD NOT BE BE ALLOWED TO WORK WITH KIDS , SHE IS DANGEROUS , Mr Minister of education please I am appealing to you do the right thing,search your conscience. SHE MUST GO
Brag about doing that where? She never do that to no child in Anegada. Brag my foot. Who she thinking she trying to impress. Poppy show.
Was done in Anegada that that should have been her last stop. But here we go in BVI again.
Thank god the child did not swallow it
The principal should be before the court as well but she has been sheltered by persons in authority. I want her to remember that there is a God above . He is watching every single move that we all doing. Whatever you do to others believe that noone is watching you will pay for it right here .sometimes even your third generation will end up and pay for the wickedness you have done to others. This principal thinks because the child’s mother is from Dominica and her father is from Jamaica and it is a good to take advantage of her of her and after that bragging with her friends that nothing will happen. Madam principal with short hair and high heels ? please remember that this child is growing. She will remember your evil act. Yes the teacher has performed the act but this evil principal is vicariously liable because she proposed the ideas to the poor teacher which is contrary to the norms and acceptable moral fibers. Parents across the territory please be aware of this principal and be vigilant.
They both belong to us
So what if they are from West! They both did wrong. The principal is incompetent in all areas. Why would you tell a young and new teacher that?
Anegada, Ivan Dawson, word of warning ⚠️ Joyce Samuel AKA Bellevue watch out
The child said hell? That was it? Seriously?? I think the teacher, principal and entire church system are to blame. Yes telling someone to go to hell is wrong and an insult but only the most small-minded of individuals would deal with it this way.
If that is reflective of the training level and competence of the teachers that are allowed in the BVI school system it is hardly surprising that so many children are unable to be dealt with in a constructive manner and end up sitting at a car wash and living to their full potential.
May I suggest that all BVI teachers get reviewed by a UK board straightaway and those needing more training are either sent to teacher colleges in the UK or educators are sent here?
That’s the problem with this community – we always try to take the path of least resistance! Train the teacher and let the child run wild! Address the issue of these rude …children!
Explain a child telling another child What the hell or an adult telling another adult to give that child a toxic liquid to drink or gargle, I think you have just graduated to #bertiehodge category may God have mercy on us all
So what if they are from West! They both did wrong. The principal is incompetent in all areas. Why would you tell a young and new teacher that?
Let the principal continue some parents will not take this wickedness from her .
Please people, take a long look in the mirror and ask yourself ‘Have I done anything in the past that I’ve felt ashamed about? If it were to become public, would others condemn me?’
The young lady has been punished enough! Instead of tearing her down, why don’t we try saying a kind word? She will rise from these ashes!
Parents, train up your child in the right way. If this child does not change, her future does not bode well. Parents have you asked the child to apologize? Have you addressed this issue in a vulgar manner prior to it coming to court? If you did, what example did you set for this child? I strongly believe this whole situation could have been handled amicably.
On another note, I think teachers should compile a book with all their school anecdotes. Readers will be horrified!
The peppers ?are not in your eyes you ask to pour more in the yes of your neighbors. Don’t you imagine the psychological impact such horrible act can have on this child life. This can turn the child to a monster. You imagine it was “grand mazoon” the child would have died and the family would never know anything. An innocent life would be going to the grave for a so call bad word. The teacher is brainless and the principal is a wicked jack a**s.
The teacher seemed to have a power trip. It was about being the “boss” in the classroom or maintaining her dominance over the student for being disrespectful to her. She certainly acted in an abusive manner and without commonsense. She should be punished accordingly and if any other teacher or principal is doing similar acts should be stopped and punished as well. There are ways to discipline students and this certainly is not it.
like she mother
Please I plea, and I beg no teacher try this stunt with my child ..(he is not rude … no bad complaint from teacher) but God forbids ….. I was coming to the school and wash your mouth with that substance to….. let see how u would feel and how humiliating that will be for u …we would both be in court… and I would take my sentence like a BOSS knowing I fight for my child …. u a big a** woman following a stupid principal using detol on ppl child…. I hope this is a lesson learn to think about the consequences before action… if that child swallowed that thing??????
23 yr old teacher?? Where did she go for her training? Your not a teacher at 23 your still a child yourself (teaching requires a 5+ yrs uni/college just to begin with). Not a very smart one might I add. BVI needs to start thinking of these kids as the future of the country and invest in real school teachers and not just employing whoever will work for the pathetic pay check on offer by this terrible government or past governments . Same problem in the health industry here. Won’t pay for proper Doctors and happy to let these useless under qualified people loose on their country’s people (Dangerous). BVI greed and neglect at its best. What do you call it again Mister premier??? BVI love!!!!! You people are not capable of running a School never mind a country. God help the BVI!!! Sad to say but UK are our only hope. Our future is bleak with these dangerous people at the wheel! Mr Premier has God replied to your calls for help yet?? You might want to rethink that plan!!! And maybe have a plan B.
I gaggle with detol anytime I have a throat infection. It taste bitter like gaul.
It was not dettol it was pine sol , please don’t try it
Why the principal still in the education system is beyond me. Why they continue to move her from school to school every time she misses up is beyond me
Seems like the principal is being protected because of high-ranking relatives. This is another example of how corruption has seeped into all aspects of government (here it is a government-run school) in BVI. The consequence is that other children in our community are at risk and a blind eye will be turned. When someone jumps the queue, when someone’s work permits are processed more quickly than someone else’s, when water connected to their land when no-one else’s is…this is all corruption and it happens at every single level of our community. This is why these islands are not the Switzerland of the Caribbean as they should be, with all BVIslanders enjoying the best life has to offer (infrastructure, education, healthcare etc). It starts with sort of thing and then results in politicians spending the people’s money as if it was their own.
I wonder if this story is the truth and nothing but the truth. Maybe it is, here is this young 23 y-o teacher doing as she is supposedly told no matter how irrational it is. I know if I was that teacher there is no way I was doing that. I probably would have used my own method. Perhaps some scope or listerine (but of course this would have been after exhausting all options such as meeting with parents, principal and so forth to discuss the child’s behavior and then if no improvement..)
I could be wrong but I’m kind of thinking that the principal wasn’t serious when/if she suggested such, maybe she said it in a jokingly manner and the young teacher took what she said literally and ran with it . Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that she was right to even mention it whether she was joking or not. But sometimes we as adults must be logical and think for ourselves. Why didn’t young teacher stand up and say “are you crazy madam principal, how dare you even suggest that…”
I’m not taking sides in this but a lot of us don’t know the full story and we should try and be more empathetic.
This principal is spreading the BVILOVE by poisoning the people children with chemical. Just want to know that beast so I can educate my kids .
principal needs to be disciplined
I aint going hlscc again Dem devil M****, and the rest for this bad publicly for hlscc