Teachers in despair over kids
(CNS):Although complaints of departing teachers were reported in the local press recently after exit interviews were released by the education department, many of those who remain are equally despondent. Staff and parents who spoke to CNS earlier this year, on the condition that they would not be identified, listed a catalogue of issues backing up the comments made in the exit transcripts, which CNS has posted below. The main problem identified by educators was the levels of violence among children at both Clifton Hunter and John Gray high schools. Fights are commonplace, with dozens of incidents taking place every day. One teacher reported 23 fights in the first three days of February at the school where they work.
CNS requested the documents, which were released by the education department following an FOI request by the Caymanian Compass, as the paper opted not to let the public see those documents and did not post them on their website. After several weeks the education department finally released the documents Friday and we have posted them in their entirety below this story. Revealing a catalogue of problems, the teachers who are still here are still dealing with the same issues and more on a daily basis.
The standards of behaviour, very poor attention and significant problems of violence appear to be the rule rather than the exception. Teachers believe that there are very high levels of neglect in the wider community, with children being commonly physically and emotionally abused, resulting in the over-sexualized and violent behaviour that is manifest in the classroom environment.
Despite the obvious problems, many educators believe that what efforts, if any, are being made by management to address the problem are nowhere near sufficient. While some children do manage to get through the system and pass their exams, they are doing so against a backdrop of violence and bullying.
The exit interviews illustrate the numerous problems that educators in Cayman schools face and they are making it increasingly difficult for government to recruit talented teachers, compounding the problem. One teacher told CNS that these exit interviews were only “the tip of the iceberg” and that the situation was getting worse all the time.
CNS has posted the transcripts below so the community can see for themselves the problems facing the teachers who remain and why so many new teachers are leaving after just one school year. They document a catalogue of bad behaviour, violence, abuse and drug use on school property, while teachers try to survive the day after being “thrown to the wolves”, which was how one teacher described their experience teaching in Cayman.
See exit interview transcripts below.
Category: Local News
I can see redactions have been made to the transcript copies, but there is no explanation why. Don't they have to cite the section of the FOI law under which they are blanking out information? That's standard practise.
Having read all of the blogs, I have come to the conclusion that too many of our Caymanians believe that the mandate of the schools, the Dept. of Education, and the Govt. is to straighten out all those kids who enter the school system from home with no discipline or respect whatsoever, and are basically unable to benefit from what the schools offer! What an incredible responsibility our poor teachers have. It's a miracle that enough of them stick to the task.
I look at the world sometimes and thank God I'm not growing up in it today. Hippies saved me, at least for a time, when I was about the same age as many of these kids. Mainly because they seemed to represent some hope for the future in equality, justice, and peaceful coexistence. I don't see many signs of that on the planet nowadays, at least if I am to believe the news. This has a profound influence on your view of the world and your future. Particularly if you are young. You may be told all the right things work hard, apply yourself and your answer might be "what for". This isn't meant as an excuse some of these kids I'm sure are plain badass. But there are just as many others who want to see a future to works towards and they're not being convinced. In this respect it is the adults who need to see the future through their eyes. But while some tell of the need to begin at the bottom and work their way up politicians dither over the need for a minimum wage. On the other hand, movies and television constantly depict rich and successful people who don't seem to have done any hard work. How did they get there? Today's young people might ask. If we are to believe it, it seems they acquired their success by running scams (Wolf of Wall Street), or worse,Scarface. I haven't given any solutions. Just an observation. But I believe a necessary part is convincing youngsters their participation is needed. And they can make a difference.
Bottom line in my humble opinion is….
These children need professional help. They need counselling as these types of disruptive behaviour go much deeper than behaving bad for the sake of it. Parenting has to be a factor yes, very much so. That can come in numerous ways shape and form….some type of negative conflict is most likely taking place in the homes of these children.
Hiring more security guards wont solve the bad behaviour, all that does is just covering the sore with a bandage. Get to the root of the matter else it will fester and erupt. Next thing we know a shoot up takes place like in the US. The last thing any of us would want to happen.
Deal with the real issues and stop ignoring the cry for help from these children. FRC and other entities surely can assist, why not call upon their resources. Educate teachers that they need to be more sympathetic, and watch for the signs. These children seeking attention for a reason. Many just want to be loved.
Parents need to be more involved and give the support required to their child, even if they are no longer living together as parents. Spend time with your child doing something positive and teach your children to be respectful.
All steakholders… need to serioously think about this, take responsibility and work together. It would make a huge difference. Some would be saved surely that is better than none.
My child has constantly pointed out that there is more bullying by the teachers than students in some classes.
At the risk of being labeled the troublemaker, I make reports to the Principals but every time there is complete defence of the teacher and not one minute given to thought of possible misconduct by a teacher.
Also, I have heard from students year after year that a certain teacher is very abusive to students, throws items at them in the class and calls names. I immediately told teh children t tell their parents. I was concerned when the students were from different years (a few having graduated or I met others as my son moved up the next grade.) In a private conversation I shared my concernswith this teacher and asked if I could help with even a reward system to help with his class. Sadly and understandably he got very upset and denied it all.
I personally heard a Jamaican teacher tell students to get to their seats by calling them by an animal reference. If an English teacher had called a Jamaican student by that derogatory name all hell would break lose.
Until we get serious about addressing the culture of teaching methods also prevalent in our classrooms this will continue.
It is a FACT that majorty of teachers are now Jamaican; most of the children with behavioural problems (in schools and as young people being arrested/conviced of criminal behaviour) are mixed with Jamaican or Honduran parent/s. So unless we have a Minister and Chief Education Officer willing to take a hard look at negative cultural influences and or agendas, we'll continue this downward spiral…………..I have no doubts about this and it is not meant to be an unfair or racist comment, just merely extroplating from what I observed and noted over the past 15-20 years.
Please look at all factors.
Personally I am tired of hearing that it's only problem of parents or socio-economic background of Caymanians that create the problems in our public schools. We also need to come out of denial about the impact of different nationalities because while there is good in everyone, we have to start addressing the trends, simply using influential variables, numbers and current situation of certain teachers. Their internal bias may override their ability to teach well and our students become subjects of unfair treatment.
One parent asked me about seeking CCTV for classrooms and I agree to support that effort. If the majority of teachers continue to claim perfection and that only problems in schools are by a few Caymanians, let's see it and when action is take against the student/s and parents there will be even more transparency.
I find it appalling at how bored these children are. Get with the program. It’s time to identify these teenagers skills and find a way to allow them to excel at it. If we allowed them to spend a majority of their time at school perfecting their chosen field then we would have more enthusiasm from them. Not everybody wants to be blue collar.
Not just bored. Unmitivated + plain NOT curious.
It stems from no self confidence or encouragement.
I am an expat teacher at a government school here, British trained… I have worked as a teacher here in Cayman for many out of my 15 years on island. This is my first year teaching with the government and I was a passionate teacher up until this year. The passion has been robbed from me. I have woke up many a morning dreading what my students will do that day. Either one student punching another, kicking another, biting another, tripping another student. I love each and every one of my students and do everything in my power as a mother myself to help them see the World is their oyster…
These students don't care! The call me rasist names, words i bave neevr heard of… but they all mnow the meaning! The don't respect their friends, classmates, teachers or their country! They are only 7 years old! They laugh at me, run out of the classroom when they feel like it. They scream and hell at each other as though you are high and mighty. These children don't want to learn… No matter how much I reinforce the importance and how much fun it can be… If they only would let me in and trust me!
There are teachers who care more than one would ever understand! I keep going back to work and I pray each and every day that the next day will be better! I have put my head in my handson more than a few occasions… I ask for support from admin… NOTHING!
This poor country that I love so much! What a shame!
Welcome to Jamaica…we have lost Cayman.
OK, I can understand your passion got ahead of you and you made a few typos, misspells and incomplete sentences. As a teacher you should exercise more care. To not know how to conjugate a verb, however, ("I have woke up") either shows you up as a troll, or the Government schools are in a woeful state indeed.
Caymans home grown edumacation system is just another in a long line of failures. Its called Caymankind and is an education unto itself.
Our schools graduate a few well educated, self motivated students…and a mass of uneducated unfortunates. Most grads do not possess even basic math and English skills, and cannot even convert US to CI (even with a calculator). They lack basic grammer skills, and have never heard of a double negative. They do not have even a glancing knowledge of business, mathematics, geography, history, or even politics of their own country. Why? We spend so much money on them. Yet private schools seem to get the job done. I hire school leavers. Both private and public. But, damn, the public school kids (even the good ones) are so less equiped. It seems as though are public schools are nothing more than daycare for working parents.
Poor Admin+Poor syllabus+Indifferent teachers AND parents—Apathetic, Dead Kids!
I don't pretend to have all of the solutions, but it strikes me that the main issue as we move forwards is the drain out of Cayman of the most skilled teachers. Applications for this September are massively down on last year, whenlast year was half what it was the year before.
Simply put, skilled expat teachers no longer see Cayman as a desirable destination. Everyone is aware of that. The Deputy Governor was surprised to hear it, but he knows it, and so do the rest of the powers that be. We've fallen behind on wages when other jurisdictions also offer rent free accommodation and flights home every year. An average teacher here takes home about $3500 a month. They put most of that straight back into the economy with rent, CUC bills and food, in bars and restaurants and school fees. Little money bleeds out of the country, but it's not very attractive to anyone with skills and experience when they can go to the UAE and have twice the disposable income, for example and still have a beach lifestyle.
The other thing that is happening is the too soon Caymanisation of management roles. Again, put simply, Caymanians are being promoted too early and set up to fail – they have had no experience or training. Expat contracts should have a training need written in to them- a little bit extra to ensure that they mentor a Caymanian and share their skills. This doesn't happen. With training, Caymanians can and should take these jobs, but to just drop them there does nobody any favours, let alone the kids. And, of course, if you're Caymanian, it's not about your skillset, it's about who you know and what church you go to.
In the short term, we have a weak Minister who has been invisible throughout her tenure and has not even yet visited all of the schools, let alone spoken to staff. At least Rolston visited schools regularly. Tara just cares about Tara and isn't equipped to come up with any solutions. You would think with all of that expensive education herself she would have the wherewithall to have a plan, but it doesn't look like it, does it?
We thank those of you who have posted intelligent comment, however, and as usual, the bulk of the posts are ignorant, unintelligent, racist and absolutely in denial of the true reality of the situation. Just look at the content, and it is not hard to see where the problem is rooted. I maintain that if you have a strong dominant culture in your home, the business, the school, or the country, no outsider can come in and adulterate it. The culture should change the newcomer, not the other way around. The culture here is not strong enough.
Examine the nasty, negative bile in so many of the posts and it is not hard to see where the problem starts. I am tired of the persistent attempts to blame the problem on the expats. This problem goes back a long way, and did not develop overnight as some of us would suggest.
Parents, start to take responsibility for what you have produced, and stop blaming the poor teachers. We know that the school system is far from perfect, BUT do you even consider that it could work IF you had your children disciplined before throwing them into the system? Work with the school and your child's teachers and make it work, and stop conveniently throwing blame in all directions and away from your own doorstep.
We need POSITIVE attitudes, not negativity.. Teach that to your child too.
Dear CNS,
What does Olive Miller and Joanna Clarke have to say about this? Two of our outspoken and beloved educators. I bet they have some sound advice?
It is just as bad within the Primary Schools, not physical fighting but teasing, bullying and other offensive behaviours which do not seem to be being addressed. But of course this begins at home! I would spank my children's @$$ if I found out they were teasing or bullying at school! Teachers ARE NOT responsible for a child's discipline – this is the duty of the PARENT! Parents have to find some time within their busy money-hussling lives to talk to their children about respect for others and others' property! It begins from a very, very young age! We are too caught up in busting our behinds to pay CUC, Cable and water company and then trying to appease the lack of time with our kids by buying the Ipads and cell phones! Children have to be talked to, disciplined and spent time with! This is fricking ridiculous! A year 4 boy brought a pocket knife to my daughter's class a few weeks ago, where the h#ck would he have gotten that from!?
If you're looking for dirt you will find dirt! Two students last year in the public school (John Gra) in year 9 got the highest grade in the Maths cxc exam and nobody spent any time to focus on this…It is horrible for wats hapening but once again it beginsat home. FAST (Family And School together) is the only way to have it workin efctively.
To have a school of over 1100 students that are coming from such varied backgrounds is quite a feat (Hondurian, Cayman, American, Canada, Jamaica, Barbados, et….).
Although I also believe we need more caribbean teachers in the system who can cope wih the caribbean challenges and needs.
Correct me if I am wrong…I thought that Cayman public schools were only available to Caymanian children. So the backgrounds is not as diverse as suggested here!
Define “Caymanian” bobo… That’s everybody now!!!!
What are these particular Caribbean challenges and issues you have identified?
"Mandatory linguistic classes.Yes there is a local dialect. I am Caymanian and understand. However, there is a distinction between an accent and poor English. When presenting oneself and the child is unable to conjugated the verb 'to be' or pronounce sandwich and says 'sangwich' or 'axe' instead of 'ask' any educated person who hears this immediately develops a poor opinion."
Where do I start?
1. What you are suggesting is the teaching of grammar not linguistics. I doubt from the rest of your post that you know the differemce.
2. There is a difference between a dialect and an accent. Again this would seem to be beyond you.
3. How can "the child" and "oneself" be in agreement? Do not move onto difficult sentence constructions until you can handle simple ones.
4. "is unable to conjugated the verb "to be"". I suspect you need to work on your conjugation if you believe that the infinitive takes the past participle.
5. "or pronounce sandwich" – should be "or pronounce "sandwich"". Odd, because you did get that right in the rest of the sentence.
Leave grammar to those that understand it. Leave linguistics alone until you have a ecent grasp of grammar. It will be a long time until you move onto linguistics.
Guess you're not so Cunning after all – in fact, many have you pegged for a troll. Too bad, so sad.
09.42, how did your comment help? The original poster was trying to make a valid point, maybe not perfect English, however you will find that somwhere around 80% of most countries inhabitants struggle to find perfect grammar. England included and yes I am English. Pompous ar?e!
Great photo. Poor guy's probably praying before his first lesson of the day, understandably. On the other hand he could have a hangover, I guess. Either way he's in bad shape.
How could I get a teacher job in GC? Where are the jobs posted?
Actually, that was a truthful post. I would love to get a job in the public school in GC (although I am not caribbean or British) but I do have amazing classroom management skills having taught at an inner city school system for over 2 decades. I just can not locate any job postiings.Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Go to gov.ky for available positions. If not then just send the application through to the education dept.
No jobs are posted at this time so not sure they are hiring, but will forward an application.
Thank you.
Looks like unemployment and crime will increase in the next few years! But that's ok because we can still blame businesses for not hiring local, the expats for taking all the jobs, immigration for letting them all in the country, nwda for not putting our thugs to work, and the uk for not allowing us to build more 100 million dollar schools.
Contraception..!!!!
One person could FIX this within 36 months. Dr Geoffrey Canada- let's take some of that consulting money we so freely throw around and let this internationally acclaimed educator turn around our mere 5,000 children.
This is not rocket science. We have the facilities, we have the tools, we have the money – what we need is leadership by one Edication Czar. (Sorry our overpaid Chief Officers and Senior Admin have failed us- through fault or not) we can no longer allow this to be a political football.
The fact is we do NOT have the luxury of time to lose another generation to crime, youth pregnancy, social services, entitlement jobs, and to build vocational skills programs. The luxury of time has been spent. This is a war on Cayman's survival and needs to be treated swiftly as if we were at war. The time for talk is over!! Either bring in a SWAT team from overseas or experts who can turn this around.
We are talking about 5,000 students (this is only the size of a small city) it can change overnight and we CAN rescue these children, but only with sweeping bold action.
CNS, I believe some of your research is wrong. The incoherent and illegible hand written scrawls that don't appear to be placed in the appropriate sections of the 'exit' forms you have attached to the post have surely been completed by some of the 3rd grades as a classroom exercise. Please, please don't tell me that these have been completed by the 'educators' of our children!
Since the notes are Exit Interviews one could assume that the notes would have had to be written by the staff from DES / Ministry since that is where the exit interview would have taken place.
The comments here are quite whinny. Lots of complaints. Very few commentators provide a solution. Is this because you too went to the public school? If you went to a proper school and/or came from a home which emphasized education and personal growth, then this beahviour would have been curtailed early. One of the basic life lessons that should have been taught was if you were ever to complain about something, it is ok to vent about the situation but then provide a solution. Complaining for the sake of it is unproductive. It breeds resentment. How is that helpful?
These may not be popular, realistic or feasible. What these suggestions may provide are places to start or ways to think of how to approach the situation.
-mandatory meetings with parents and child 4 times a year. Both birth parents must show or all legal guardians must show. To enforce these meetings, have strict penalties. Eg start with a fine for no shows, 2 no show, custodial sentence. This would be legal as there oils be a change in the law. Simple enough to do if the government is serious.
– once the family is considered at risk. Mandatory counseling sessions once per week and assessed as needed.
– strict enforcement of dress code on campus. Teachers, students, education staff and parents visiting the school. If the staff are unable to agree then mandate uniforms for staff, teachers and what parents are allowed to wear to pick up the children if they wish to go on campus. Every male should know how to tie. Tie and every female should be aware of what it is to dress like a lady.
– Mandatory linguistic classes.Yes there is a local dialect. I am Caymanian and understand. However, there is a distinction between an accent and poor English. When presenting oneself and the child is unable to conjugated the verb 'to be' or pronounce sandwich and says 'sangwich' or 'axe' instead of 'ask' any educated person who hears this immediately develops a poor opinion.
– start this at the preschool level not at high school.
– start screening for at risk children where the problem originates. With the parent/mother during pregnancy. Though on another CNS article I see there is a problem with public health care for mothers. Maybe therein lies the origin of the problem.
-Mandatory birth control for all females once in high school.
– sterilization of women on island if you have reached 3 children and have a family income of 20,000 a year or below. This would solve a string of problems. No more reliance on social services and no more unwanted children.
– same with the man. Sterlization of the man if he is in on the birth certificate for 3 children and has a family income of $20,000 or less. Sterilization can also be considered if he is in court for non payment of maintenance of 2 children.
– sterlization of prisoners if convicted twice.
– classical music played at all times on campus.
– personal cell phones and personal electronic devices not allowed on campus. All found are confiscated and sold.
– cultural events will not include certain types of music which degrade women and glorify violence.
– children no longer get expelled from school. They are sent overseas to a proper military school in Eastern Europe or China for one year. The suggestion was not to a closer country because the point is to segregate. If the family doesn't like it, then send your child to private school. If you cared so much about your child you should have paid attention to them in the first place.
– sodas, juice, junk food not allowed on campus. This includes anything in a package. Only fresh food allowed. Not even fried food and no sugar unless it is fresh fruits. Remove French fries. Remove the 'soul food' from the diet. It had a place in society many years ago. No in today's. The masses do not do hard labour and should not learn to eat starch focused food as a staple. Teach healthy eating. It is an acquired taste. Over the years the children will get used to it. The overweight children will lose weight and the children with beahviour disorders due to poor nutrition should see changes over time.
-teach each child how to grow their own food at home. Even in small pots and small areas.
Not all reasonable? That's ok! Start the productive thoughts. Think out of the box and fix the problem.
Someone seems to have read "A Clockwork Orange" and thought "What a wonderful manifesto, that is how to instil discipline."
You don't have a CLUE about what you are discussing.
No offence dear but what you are stating is that teachers should now teach parents and children alike?!!!!! You must be mad!!!!
Since when is it the teachers responsibility to teach the PARENTS how to be good parents?
Do you know what the teachers make as a salary? Do you? It is a thankless job.
Do you know what they deal with on a daily basis? And not just from students but from ignorant parents as well?
Teach each child to grow their own food? Really? Is this the school's responsibility.? Farming, as far as I am aware is not a part of the school's curriculum. (Food for thought)
There is no one solution to our problem in the education system. It is actually a domino effect of many bad things happening one after the other. Bad parenting, babies having babies,single parent homes, lack of support for staff from the education ministry & department, lack of moral among staff in schools, etc….etc…and the list goes on and on.
You want to know the truth? We need more CAYMANIANS teaching our children, for a start.
Peace.
The suggestion doesn't appear to be that teachers teach parents and children. It suggests that the current situation doesn't work and here are suggestions. The government would rewrite laws forcing parents of public school children to be more responsible parents. These problems do not exist in private schools. Private schools have their own problems and take care of that on their own. Public schools fall under the government and the government can change laws which are legally enforceable rather than regular rules at school. The rules are not currently followed now. Therefore it is better to make things a bit more uncomfortable and difficult for students who do not comply. These suggestions and they are only suggestions are to assist with fixing the problems. Realistically not one will be implemented. Why? It is difficult and no one actually cares. The powers that be are aware of the problem and have their children in schools abroad or in private school. They will not follow even one suggestion. Even a watered down suggestion. Why? These individuals have parents that are the voting population who will oust them in a heartbeat if any are implemented.
These type of people will not even spay or neuter their dog or cat. Howcould anyone get a vote for implementing sterilization? Besides human rights will complain. The availability of the abortion pill will never pass. We are a Christian society and follow all rules. Therefore we should not have options available because the unwanted child is a gift from God. Granted yes the child is a gift. But a life of feeling abandoned and unloved. What kind of life is that? It's all great to say from your computer but what of the true realities. The church has to stand their ground and they should not sway, but a government can make their own decisions. Even difficult ones.
I am aware of the struggles of teachers. Many people have seen this during their time in school around the world and here. Yes it is a thankless job. It takes a type of personality to be able to handle difficult children. Screen for teachers who are better equipped to handle the difficulties. Hire teachers with stronger personalities. Not just the recent graduate from university that's 25 and has never seen inside a classroom aside from the 6 month work experience.
Teaching children about growing their own food is another suggestion. Didn't you have to learn about the parts of the flower in science class? Did you have to grow a bean in school? There should be no limitation on what is taught even it is not part of the direct curriculum. Why couldn't that be an after school option? There was a suggestion about extending the school hours. Teach a variety of skills. How to grow your own food. The basics of money eg having a cheque book and credit card. Money management. How to make apps. Holistic medicine basics. Etiquette classes – maybe that should be mandatory for all student and parents alike. That alone could make a change in the overall society. More science and math fairs. And real ones with real thought put into it. Drama clubs which have the students Produce four shows a year. These things take time and effort. Just don't limit to the options for the children.
What is the percentage of parents that attend the PTA meetings at public school and do you know whether the children where the parents do not show are because they have straight A's and are not worried? Or is it parents that do not care or do not make the time? These are not parents that couldnot make it once or twice. These are the parents that never attend and possibly do not know what grade the child is in or the teachers name.
Your solution of more Caymanian teachers is impossible because the next set of students graduating from this high school would be the next teachers. Is that what you want? There have been many Caymanian teachers. They left the profession for reasons the expat teachers left. It doesn't matter where the teachers are from. Fix the problem from all angles. There needs to be someone brave enough to take drastic measures. Otherwise the problem will continue for the lower levels of society for years to come.
Plus you can’t teach the unreachable, Caymanian parents that is. The current uneducated adults think they are still entitled to high end jobs, well guess what, you are not, and stop teaching your kids this…
Solution:
Parents need to stop complaining on this site, go to the pta meetings, try to comprehend what your kids are being taught and go home turn off the video games TV and sit down with them and assist with their homework.
Other words spend more time with your kids
Stop complaining about expats, we all live in in the same world and you never know when you may need them.
On the government’s side, personally maybe we need to implement some sort of youth army training that all kids in Cayman have to go to not just troubled…
Just my thoughts
Have you been watching too much Putin propaganda?
I could not have said it better myself. Thank you.
06;09
Great suggestion and solutions, you all ready have 8 thumb downs. Whst you are dealing with here are people who do not understand the seriousness of getting their child educated.
They are in that intitlement mode.
On the other hand, Government would not stand for thos strict rules which wold upset their the people that voted for them.
It's all about the votes, meanwhile we are self- distructing the fabric of our society.
I completely agree with these comments – really can't disagree with either one! Especially with the sterilization of prisoners, men and women who are obviously not able to bring up the child in the way they should go for not only financial reasons, but when that parent themself is ill-educated and probably unemployed! Something has to be done with the situation on this island, we're too small to be so similar to the schools in the Bronx!
I don't know who you are, but you should be given a damn medal and hired as principal! It won't be fixed overnight, but that is a damn good start if you ask me.
I am a Caymanian who also once graced the halls of JGHS, but thanks to an amazing family and parents who took part in every aspect of my life, I have become a very sucessful businesswoman.
Some of the simple things you mention in your response to the article are also some of the items you will find in the terms and conditions of an employment contract; personal cell phones and electronics, dress code, being able to speak clearly and articulately, respect for supervisors and managers, respect for fellow colleagues despite them being foreign or local are just some of Standards of Employment and Conduct one must adhere to – if these children are not able to adhere to simple rules at a high school level, they have little to no hope for success in their futures.
I agree to one thing, it starts at home. Children are raising themselves more and more lately in the absence of one or both parents. You cannot possibly think that a child is equipped to guide themselves through the mazes of life. We are now clearly seeing the consequences of neglect and the absence of parental (or adult) guidance.
It is sad and something needs to be done. As parents (or gardians), we need to form an alliance or support group and get these "problem children" the support, attention and care they need to succeed, otherwise we are in for a very dark future.
Wrong
The public scool system is so bad that every parent who has the choice would send their kids to private education. So the rump that are left have a much higher proportion of the poor, the stupid, the one-parent families and those with criminal family members. So what do you expect from their behaviour? This is why we need more gated communities.
Idiot!
Further detorioration of the Cayman ISlands.
Thank you politicians and religious leaders.
The solution as usual is simple. Police at the schools. You misbehave and you and your parents will be arrested.
This society is going down. The rich get richer and sent their kids to private school. The poor are left wih an american-like public school.
This is just the beginning . . . . . . .
John Gray does have police at the school.
Personal cell phones and personal electronic devices not allowed on campus. All found are confiscated and sold. Sounds like a good and simple suggestion.
To honest this will be all forgotten next week, Caymanian desease. We have been talking about this for the last 15-20 years, it's not just the kids in schools, it's their 20+ brother, sister and parents who dont have repest for themselfs and others, it's Caymanians who feel they are entittled to everyhting, even without an education… We guess what, if you dont have an education, you will be a gardner, helper and what you consider low class jobs, Guess what im not going to be paying you a minimum wage of $8.. you dont diserve it…
Solutins, wll righ ow there isnt much we can do, we have work on the young chilren, and jst ahv t deal with the next20-30yrs of disespectful, uneducated people.. thats th solutionn…
OR BRING BACK TH STRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you don't have an education, you will be a gardner, helper or some other menial job…. or, as we're seeing much too much, a criminal. I am afraid we are raising a generation of criminals right now.
If you don't have an education, you will be a gardner
Maybe, but after that you can become the first Premier of the Cayman Islands!
Not in today’s world Bobo..
I think we should neuter all of the youth from the ages of 12 to 30… Problem solved…
I am a young Caymanian who is married and has a child. I have a full time job and I am also attending classes at the local university, in an attempt to ensure that my family has a bright future. I do not advocate violence, promote drugs or wear my pants on the ground. I did not have the best examples of parents, but I did learn from other people's mistakes so that I wouldn't have to make the same ones. Please do not try to neuter me, It will not go well…
Whats the difference between me and these kids?
I suppose it boils down to the age old question : "Nature vs. Nurture" I believe its a bit of both…
Nurture-
These children were nurtured to look up to thugs, blast vulgar music from parked cars at grocery stores, give people death stares for no apparent reason, intimidate weaker and more vounerable individuals and think that you earn "respect" by being bad. Their parents probably weren't there for them much (may not have been a bad thing either, actually), so they were raised by themselves and their peers… And by the donkeys who make rap music with the sole intention of promoting violence and sexuality,
Nature- This will be offensive to some.
A lot of the public school children are ancestors of slaves who were sold by Africans to Europeans, brought to the caribbean to work plantations, and eventually set free. **Sold by Africans** THESE ARE THE ONES WHO NOT EVEN THEIR OWN PEOPLE WANTED!! You have the choice to get rid of the helpful, pleasant member of the tribe, or the guy who is violent, causes problems and instigates fights.. Who do you choose? The caribbean is just a big breeding pool of people with violent genes!!
This does not apply to everybody, because some of the nicest, and well mannered people I have ever known in my life have had a similar origin. However, one must learn from his observations. If the same dog tries to bite you every time you go near it, you will probably not want that dog around your family, or out on the streets.
So yes, I believe that many of these kids should never be allowed to breed, and certainly never vote… But please do not group all young Caymanians as the same.
Whoa now! Let's stop the broad generalizations, please. People choose the job they love. This does not mean that any one is any less educated and that jobs are menial. We all work to fill a void in society and contribute. There is no such thing a menial. Shame on this comment.
teachers are bound hand and foot if they discipline a student ,after the parents want to kill them .this is caynman
It's sad to read about this. There is no easy answer. Cayman does not suffer any different problem than many high schools in other parts of the world. The successful ones do instill a zero tolerance policy for many behavioural issues, violence, drugs, truency, etc. And alot of these schools also offer options beyond what we have in Cayman, specifically introductory to trades. Not all kids have the abilities or desire to go on to A Levels and an opportunity at a Universtity education. Many trades are rewarding and financially successful, and are a great way to have your own business. I've heard talk of a Trade/Vocation School for the 18 years I have been in Cayman. I think it's time to make it a priority. Whether it be plumbing, electrical, carpentry, hairstyling, cooking, it offers an opportunity to be employable in so many expat filled jobs currently. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with alot of great young Cayman kids over the years. They are there, they just need better opportunities to find something they are interested in. Kudos to the teachers that keep doing what they do, and finding success in alot of great kids. There will always be the difficult students, but I do believe with positive role models, many will succeed.
Heeellooo, we had a trade school at the original Community College, with woodwork, auto, body shop, electrical etc. and what did we do with it? Now it's a wonderful univercity! Does that help almost 40% of the school population that needs vocational training? Noooooo!!!
Wonder why we have so many work permits that provide Govt. with wonderful revenue? When are we going to break the cycle and start giving the non-academic youngsters a chance at being financially self reliant, a good alternative to selling dope? Maybe less work permits also, but does Cayman really want that? Think on these things!! Have a good one.
The problem is that for the size of your country you have a disproportionate number of kids who are ill disciplined and largely uneducated. They have been brought up on a diet of self entitlement, arrogance, poor parenting and trashy American street culture, and now you will pay the heavy price that comes with it.
It won't be long before the fist becomes the stick, then the knife, then the gun. Anarchy is around the corner.
Your children follow your example, and the Caymanian adult population set a very poor example indeed. Government policies and politicians behaviour have demonstrated to kids that you can get away with anything, if you are Caymanian, or that's what they perceive. Why is that, why do your kids feel that the rules that every other member of society lives by don't apply to them. Why do they spout the infamous lines, 'you can't touch me, I'm Caymanian' or 'this is my island', who is teaching them that garbage?
It would appear that the CI education establishment has lost complete control and heads need to roll from the policy makers to the individual schools management. The incompetence is breath taking and potentially dangerous, the hubris illustrated for all to see. This is no time for more of the same old Caymanian, 'head in the sand' approach and bigoted views on employment. Get the best policy makers and management in that you can find from around the world and rid yourself of those who are clueless.
Expat teaching staff are very well trained and come here with the very best intentions, but enough is enough. You are going to have a major educational and societal breakdown very soon, as those staff return to their home countries or find a more civilised place than the Cayman Island public school system to work. Cayman already has a bad reputation for its arrogance in the face of common sense, this crisis will do nothing to ease that label. In fact, families, (expat and local) may see this as the writing on the wall and leave Cayman entirely, then you will also have a serious population decline and a large gap in your skills base. The knock on effects of this are enormous, the very fabric of Caymanian society is at stake.
After so many past examples of national incompetence in government and at a community and business level, it is small wonder that the country is heading for disaster. But unlike the paranoid rantings that follow debates on Immigration and employment, this one is firmly at your door. These are your kids, following your examples, destroying your future.
lets be honest… Cayman is a powder keg… whilst our financial industry draws the best and the brightest our education system does not! With all due respect to the teachers we do have on Island (some of whom are dedicaed to the task at hand) we have many young expats who are here more for the beaches and bars than for their professions. We have many others who are "middle of the road" educators… not "OxBridge" types! That then leaves very few who are able enough or eve willing to deal with the "bound for Northward/Pregnant by 16" crowd… My advice, if you want the best for your kids then boarding school is your only hope!
That's ok then. As long as the financial industry or the expat teachers are to blame, it is situation normal.
If the finance industry and the expat teachers left as quick as they came, does that mean that Cayman would cease to be a powder keg? The entitlement culture would stop?
Should teenage pregnancy rates and incarceration levels decrease?
The only way to find out is to give it a try and to be honest, with the level of xenophobic carp spouted you certainly are biting the hand that feeds you.
Financial Industry and Expats are to blame?! Not quite sure where you got that from the post but not surprising from the level of responses on CNS… I think the original post simply states that we do not have the quality of teaching in Cayman best placed to deal with the plethora of issues the youth of these Islands bring to the fore… Yes we can all point the fingers at the parents or the teachers but if neither party is equiped to deal with the child then where does that leave us? I think it is clearly you who is spouting the xenophobic fish (see what i did there?) but speaking from experience (ie. someone who was educated both in the Cayman Islands and overseas) I can guarantee you that if by pointing out that the quality of teaching overseas far outwieghs the quality of teaching here in Cayman (and that is somehow "biting the hand that feeds you") then I'll be biting away and still sending my kids to boarding school.
I don't know why you got so many thumbs down your comment was spot on. Thank you for being brutely honest. Its always welcomed as bullshit gets us no-where.
That's absolute nonsense and clearly written by someone who doesn't have the first clue about educating young people. I taught in a top English boarding school for years and would consider working in a government school if I thought I could make real change. I also attended Clare College Cambridge. I am the 'oxbridge' type you refer to in your comment and I'm also a teacher who has never met a middle of the road educator only middle of the road governments and policy. Compounded by a what I imagine to be a less than supportive SLT I feel sorry for the professionals that have to tolerate this.
"I taught in a top English boarding school for years and would consider working in a government school if I thought I could make real change. I also attended Clare College Cambridge. I am the 'oxbridge' type you refer to in your comment and I'm also a teacher who has never met a middle of the road educator… So that we understand eachother… you don't work in a Governemnt School and you have never met a "middle of the road educator"… NOT A RUDDY COINCIDENCE THEN IS IT CHUM?!
BOOT CAMP!!!!! not that cadet corp crap…
As a former John Gray High School student, I would like to say that not ALL of the kids are like this. In fact, a lot of us are well behaved. Of course, we have our 'bad apples', what school doesn't? Some of the problems that we have in our school although is racism. God forbid if you're white and go to John Gray. You will be teased endlessly. I think (personally), that when you first come to John Gray, (year 7), you'll do anything to fit in. That includes tormenting other students, teasing, assaulting others, etc. That is the rep that our school has. A lot of us, when we first come to the school (at least when I first did), are so nervous about the whole thing that we put on an act of being 'bad' that eventually leads to an actual 'bad' attitude. Also, I strongly believe that the reason that so many kids have behavioural problems is because of the environments they are exposed to at their homes. Kids do not learn to behave in such a way on their own – they are taught to be that way. Donot blame the children, blame the parents! I believe many kids are also abused at home, which is why they feel a need to act out in such ways. However now, I am NOT defending the awful attitudes that many of these kids have, but maybe the school should try something different instead of letting the attitudes slip right off their shoulders and punish the children when needed, and maybe try a new system. I'm sorry how jumbled up this whole thing was, just stating some facts and opinions.
Hhhhmmm there we go again breeding another bunch of criminals. Oh wait it's the teachers n governments fault.
Has anybody seen Tara?
Who's Tara?
Add this question to the PR exam.
Has anybody seen Tara?
This generation of Cayman's children are for the most part being raised by foreign helpers who have no authority over the discipline of the child.
When a teacher tried to discipline a child the parent raises hell and the child learns the wrong lesson, that they are beyond the rules.
Cayman you reap what you sow.
Solutions:
1. Parents responsible for the child by getting arrested for child's beahviour at school. Both parents on birth certificate to be arrested.
2. Drug testing on campus mandatory for all students.
3. Drug dogs on campus
4. Search of all students on CPUs when entering premises.
5. CCTV cameras everywhere on campus with security guards in the restrooms. Female security guards for the female restrooms and male security guards for the men's.
6. Student identification for all students with photo and fingerprint. Put those information in the wider database. This should assist with catching the juvenile burglars.
7. Mandatory counseling for all students.
8. Exchange program as a first measure for first of fence students prior to jail time. To a third world country so rotten that they understand how lucky they are in comparison. This may not be financially feasible.
9. Run the entire public school system like the military. Every child will no longer have a personality except art class. Shaved heads for boys and short tied back hair girls. If the parents don't like it then they should send their kids to private school.
10. As above mandatory military exercises. Push-ups. Run 10 miles a day. Swim 5 miles a day. The sea is right there.
11. Every student get scuba cherries and cull the lion fish. At least these unruly children can be productive and have a skill.
12. Education wise the counselor a can assess the students for learning disorders and have these treated.
13. Foster care children or children under the care of the government should actively advertise to have these children adopted overseas to families that actually want them.
14. Il get a lot of thumbs down for this one but let's consider having the abortion pill easily available. Most of these extremelly unruly children are the product of parents that didn't want them in the first place.
A response to:17-16,
Love your proposed solutions,.. Expect for solution number “13” can’t agree with you on that one. would you want to have your sibling(s) placed all over the world?,…. Bet you not!!!!!!
I wouldn't want to be separated. However, I would want to live in a home with a family that loves me and treats me as their own. Not in a foster family this week and another one the following week. Or even in 6 month stints. Also living under government control in one of the boys/girls homes is worse. There is no family unit. Most of these children with the antisocial, aggressive, overtly sexual beahviour is because they are acting out seeking attention. They are in those 'homes' because they are not receiving love, proper care from their family. It is better for them to be with people that actually want to take take of them teaching good values and show them that they are worthy to be in the society and productive members of the global community.
on # 13
I totally agree on this.
First the child needs to get away from the negative parents.
Look at the Caymanians that went off to work at the age of 14, some of them. It made great men of them.
It would do them a world of good to really experience how hard one has to work and not dependent on their mother, father and the state.
The false intitlement.
Mybe you cloak yours truely, too much and dont want the them to be independent. give it up! it's better than having him go to jail, where you only see him at visitation time.
Point 14 it the most important point.
We need age appropriate sex education plus easy access to birth control products without any stigma.
This is a long term solution that will bear fruit in about 18 to 25 years.
Short term solution? See points 1 thru 13.
Love it! Impressed, except for #7 that won't be feasible. You know how many students attend the government high schools? Hundreds, I know for a fact they do not have the support system to counsel the entire student body. But well said, all points valid and perhaps #14 is one of the best points put forward. Too many babies having babies.
Peace.
Point 13… They could just take vitamin C instead for things unexpected… True story… Google it
Actually, the govt could save a LOT of money if we sent kids overseas. We spend USD$10k- $13,000 per child on our current system so we should "offer" the same amount to export kids who want to go to boarding schools.
We may end up with better products of education, but I am afraid you are all missing the point: Our politicians LOVE this. Dumb voters mean more reliance on government and when have you ever heard that the government really wants people to stand on their own 2 feet?
A few years back I mentioned to many that the school should be run by ex military personnel. The school should be fun like a boot camp because of the issues. The idea was turned down because the parents would complain about how the children are treated. Well….is it fair that the few now large masses of students are affecting the wider mass of students ability to learn due to the beahviour? This has now resulted in teachers leaving. Government ministers, take interest in the Cayman Islands and fix the problem by fixing education. Instill a safe working environment in the schoolsand have teachers who are ex military that are not timid and not concerned with a spoilt child or an unruly.child that knows nothing of life.
Plus lengthen the school day hours 7am -6pm include Saturdays and Sundays. Watching tv is not spending time with your children. Drastic measures should be taken to fix a problem which is breeding criminals. If these children aren't educated. They will graduate and go to work? No one will hide them. Fix the problem now or build a larger prison.
Hmmmmmm……….. sounds like these teachers, ex military personnel won't have families of their own, need to pay bills or go to the bank, go to church or any of those things people usually do on the weekends!
Wonder what the parents are going to be doing when all this is going on?
There is something called shift work. Same with other professions that require long hours. Besides the teacher now may not teach all classes. They specialize in one area. Have x number of teachers to accommodate the hours required to facilitate the amount of students. It is possible. Don't be so quick to shoot something down. Have a think and evaluate whether it can be made practical. A solution to the problem at hand can be found!
The very frightening reality is that these kids will be responsible for the next massive crime wave that could go on for generations.
How can such wayward and undiciplined behaviour ever be amalagmated into a relatively normal working class environment?
No suprises there. I work with mostly women who have their children going to either private or public, most of them public. Whenever the Private School parents talk about the amount of parental input required for their children compared to the ones in the Public school system – it is appaling. Most of them don't even know what lessons their kids are doing, what projects, homework, etc. Us Private School parents are fully involved… is it because we pay so much, that we expect so much more from the system? I find it so interesting, that after work, I then have to go home and "work" again with our children. I see a vast difference in their schoolwork, school load, projects (out of the box thinking) – even if I have to sweat blood and tears, I will make sure mine remains in Private School, their future depends so much on it.
I'm a teacher in the Govt system and everything I read here has a ring of familiarity to it. There are three kinds of teacher on island – those who are dedicated and have a real mission to educate, those who are here for either two years holiday or for the money and nothing else and, thirdly, those teachers wholack any basic competency.
Until the Government is prepared to get rid of the last two categories, we're going to be stumped. I see staff being renewed who are devious, lazy, stupid and it makes me despair. I hate to say that about my colleagues, but it's true.
I will also say that there are some amazing teachers here who achieve amazing things.
That's one of the problems. Another is, as people say, parenting. I have been amazed at the poor parenting skills of many – parents who are aggressive, violent and disruptive themselves, let alone their offspring. Parents who drive $40,000 vehicles, then tell me they have no money and no job and they have to get home because the helper has to finish work. Parents who ask me how to stop their child smoking weed, drinking rum and staying out until 3.00am. Parents who email me and can barely string a sentence together, but hold Management posts in Government.
The third issue is at Department and Ministry level. Too many "Policy Advisors" who don't actually achieve anything. People who have been there for years who haven't had one good idea that has been implemented. People who are out of their depth. People who are supposed to supportyou, but run a mile when you ask for help. People who turn up late, take a break for breakfast, then a two hour lunch, then go home before you do.
The problem is not a lack of money – there are still millions being poured into schools, it's the effective use of that money so that it isn't poured down the drain. There are literally thousands of text books at our school that are brand new, have never been used and are now worthless and useless. There is money spent on things we don't need and haven't asked for, when obvious things are overlooked. We pay huge maintenance contracts for photocopiers that are old and inefficient, when it would be cheaper to buy new ones every single year that are under warranty. We have a team going to London for the week to learn about UK education when we employ hundreds of UK teachers who we could learn from.
Has anyone considered the mental health issues of these kids lashing out?
Is there any screening for ADHD/spectrum disorders in public schools?
I don't know who marked this funny but there is nothing funny about ADHD and Spectrum Disorders. The children are screened but they are not getting the proper services, The Education Department says that they don't have the money. Unfortunately, our kids are suffering because of it. There are some kids that the parents won't accept the diagnosis or allow them to be properly screened.
I think they are laughing because ADHD and other learning disabilities are the very least of our concerns now as we have children who are the product of insest, and those who are born with Fetal alcohol syndrome (2 very disturbing things). There are usually many underlying issues with children who have behavioural problems, not all can be fixed but the first step is knowing what your child has and how to deal with it.
There is screening…but very little in terms of actual intervention for any issues. Even students with hard-core beahvioural issues are put right back in the schools after a brief 6-week jaunt to the Stepping Stones programme. Lots of money being spent, with very little impact on the children. The school system (not the teachers, the system) is failing our most vulnerable. Maybe there wouldn't be the violence at secondary if the issues were dealt with at the primary level….
The system is failing but lets's not pretend all the teachers within it are achieving highly. Let's not pretend they are capable of meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. Let's admit that some would not even recognise the most vulnerable. Let's not pretend school leaderhip is strong or capable. Let's admit that support personnel are (in a great many cases) wholly incapable of carrying out a meaningful role.
Let's see your solution for these hard-core behavioral issues…
There are kids who suffer from the insidious cruelty of pre-natal abuse. Kids whose mother, while pregnant,
– ate a poor diet,
– consumed drugs, both legal and illegal.
Many of these kids are born with one or two strikes against them.
Solutions?
1. Prevent unwanted pregnancies through aggressive age appropriate sex educations together with easy access to birth control products (without any stigma).
2. When pregnancies occur, provide education and help for the pregnant mothers to explain how bad choices will affect their baby and how hard it will be to raise a pre-natally abused child.
In both cases, there are jurisdictions that have implemented successful programs in these areas. We do not have to re-invent the wheel.
I am commenting here as a Caymanian parent of a very intelligent child who went through Red Bay Primary School being bullied by the TEACHER and some of the kids.
Blame lies with parents and Teachers, but also there is NO leadership within our Government system, and the two Caymanian Ladies who are earning large(?) salaries, well hopefully as their titles are way up there are not fulfilling their task to BETTER our education system here.
I tried reporting this Teacher who bullied my child (learned this only after the fact, as this child saw this everyday within the school system and said he thought that is just the way school should be so he didn't report it to me) however, "the buck" was passed on the higher I reached within the system…meaning, not one Caymanian "in charge" wanted to listen, not even the Principal at that school wanted to hear my concerns.
"Imported" children as we like to call them had no influence over my child as I as a parent taught him at home and also he saw manners in action, not just word of mouth. I respected my children as I expected respect from them. They both went through the Goverment system not as truants but as intelligent well respectable kids.
There is too much on this island that we love to blame "others" for, but as we like to say "$*it flows down not up!" So we as a people need to stand up and at least demand that those who are in control of our education system and are salaried for that, pay closer attention.
Stop creating friction about prejudice and "imported" children, all of that brings about nothing of any good consequence. Let's be proactive and throw our angst at who should be paying more attention to our society's needs.
Zero tolerance for bullying from Teachers and children. Someone needs to LISTEN to concerned parents and act accordingly and ot spend time giving parents who do care the run-around.
A concerned parent
The Premier's Son attends Cayman International School if i am correct, would be interesting to see his thoughts and why he decided to send him to private school.
Welcome to McKeeva's Wonderland – brought to you by the UDP Policy makers
I don't agree with the integration of all students. How can a child who has no concept of what is socially acceptable, be integrated with those who do? Yes, it has to be taught. But taught by whom? By their peers? Ok, take that thought and you have what we have happening in schools today.
They need to separate kids who are troublesome, who aren't learning well and provide a different educational framework for them. For those kids who want to learn and are learning, highlight them invest in them.
Education Department, and to a degree Cayman, has a bad habit of sweeping things under the carpet. Believe what you want to believe but the truth is staring us in the faces and this needs to be dealt with.
Is it only the problem of the Education Department? No, this is a community effort. Which brings me to another point:- we all get into that habit of pointing fingers at everyone else BUT ourselves. Parents need to deal with their kids, make sure the have right moral compasses, make sure they learn and want to learn so they will grow up to actually positively contribute to a better Cayman. Not only contribute, but that they can have a fighting chance at being "something" in life.
This is my opinion anyway, and I really don't care who disagrees. However, if we can work at making something great – let's start there.
When you enter the compound you're greeted by Jamaican security officers, the principals and teachers are manily from Jamaica, the children are being raised at home by Jamaican helpers and most of the 'thugs' are mixed with a Jamaican parent or grand-parent.
So I agree parents tae control of your children and don't accept that you've lost the race and it's all up to Jamaicans to raise your children they way they see fit.
Some suggestions that may seem politically incorrect but can go a long way in reversing this trend.
1. Hire British Teachers
We are still a British colony and why don't we simply hire the British teachers (not Jamaicans with a British accent) and see if that makes a difference. For the past 20 years we have simply left the care and education of children in the hands of people, many of whom have admitted to having a prejudice (jealousy/hatred) against Caymanians. The Jamaican teachers focus on their culture, their dialect and constantly put down Caymanian children unless connected to some political party or church or can help them get promoted.
2. Graduation Criteria for elementary schools.
Hold students, teachers and parents accountable in the early years by setting graduation criteria and enforcing fines and or lack of government assistance if the parents are not going to work with teachers for students to ensure the minimum standards are met.
You're not a part of the solution.
The problem here begins in the homes of the disruptive, disrespectful, oversexed, violent children. They come from homes where this is the common denominator. You live what you learn.
The next problem is their behavior extends beyond the classrooms and school grounds. If we, the civilised community are lucky, they end up in jail where we are safe from a time, however our human rights activists think they should get rehab and released and the vicious cycle continues.
The parents should be punished for the children's behavior in school also. Fined and put on curfews, made to attend classes to learn respect and parenting skills etc. If they miss the class they are fined again. If they cannot make the fine payments their cars etc. should be confiscated until they do. Trust me, when these parameters are set for parents and the punishments are known an enforced it will be a deterrant for parents who tolerate or encourage uncivilised behavior.
And all you human rights activists if you want to make a difference here take some of these scum bags into your home now and do something to rehab them before they are out of shcool and end up in jail and you go begging for their human rights to be honored by the rest of us respectful, civilised persons.
It starts at home, it is not the education system responsibility to raise the children but to educate. Do not complain when they cannot find jobs and workers from outside CI are brought in to fill the void. The opportunity to learn and find a job one day is there but it has to start at home. CI needs this issue put to bed quickly before it leads to increased crime and a lost generation which will hurt tourism and everybody's income. We do not need to blow the budget of CI building prisons and a welfare and judicial system to handle the results of poor family discipline and responsibility of raising the children they brought into this world.
Anyone who watched Different Strokes in the 1980's can tell you the rules: if Arnold gets in a physical scuffle he is sent to the Principal's office and Mr. Drummond gets called. On a second offence, a suspension. Third offence = explusion. It's a pretty simple formula that has worked for hundreds of years when there are shared student responsibilities and code of conduct. Kids have to know the behavior that is expected of them if theyare to remain in the education system, and they need to be terrified of the alternative.
12;03
Who has the authority to legislate these laws and policies, and put them in motion? our local politicians.
Why aren't these laws in place? the politicians in this country, do not have the balls to to so.
They are scared of the parents not voting for them, should they expel their rude children.
These new, recent politicians have destroyed these lovely Islands. They have not the know- how, knowledge, and care to do anything that will better the caymanian people's lives.
Whatcha talking about Anonymous?
Throughout the year, children only spend about 16% of their time at school. It is pretty obvious where the causes of the poor behaviour and appalling attitudes lie and it isn't with the teachers.
A child will leave home at 6.30 am to catch the bus. That child is in school until 4.00.pm sometimes 6, now that there is after school. So we are looking at around 10 hours per day five days a week. = 50 Hours pr week
When the cildren arrive home in te evenings, parents are not home from work as yet.
parents arrive home between 6.30 and 7.00pm. Two hours spent with parens every evening. 5 days per week. = 10 hours per week day
It is time for supper, take a bath and go to bed a 8.30. this is Mon. to Friday.
Saturdays parent are washing, ironing and preparing the family for ether Sabath or Sunday church.
Will someone please be honst enough and calulate how much time is spent at schools and how much time is spent in the company of parents.
You are kidding right. This is one of the reasons the children are the way they are…parents are not spending the quality time that the children need. If they are busy getting ready for Sabbath or Church perhaps they need to stop going to socialize and go there to worship with there family. Religion and money are the root of all evil…seems like in your world you are to busy chasing after those things and not spending your time on the things that really matter.
That is the same reason why they cannot qualify for a job, fill out an application, know how to conduct themselves in an interview or keep a job. Education department MUST correct the problems with these students before they go register them at NWDA.. If they cannot behave in school and get good grades, how the hell will they become good candidates for employment? Parents, PLEASE.. do your part too. The government cannotdo everything.
Hear hear, parenting has failed. A sorry day when mothers and gathers soley rely on a school system to raise their children. Shame on these parents.
Parents too!
and ezzard / arden want to force companies to employ these people…………….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz more wonderland stuff….
Anyone remember when our schools were run by the Education Department and the Chief Education Officer was in charge? What a difference today. Poor, poor, poor and nobody seemingly responsible.
Yes but that was before Mackeeva gave status to 3000 imported problems and their dependents.
Aren't you tired of blaming one man for everything that goes wrong or down hill in this country??? Aren't you tired of forcing the blame on one single human?? C'mon, lets be realistic.
basically it begins at home with a lack of parental control and good parenting and roll models. spending quality time with your child seems to be a thing of the past for a "LOT" of children. not all and i emphasise NOT ALL.
The chief officer of the ministry of education's own offspring do not attend public schools. That should tell youall you need to know.
I don't thnk too many chief officers, ministers (maybe Marco still has his in public school but when they start high school we'll see) have their children in public schools.
Many have their chidlren attending Prep…guess that will be first school to receive full government support, have a Board to work with the government. Any bets?
Dicipline begins at home. It does not matter what school the children go to. PARENTS take control of your children, don't expect the Teachers to do what YOU SHOULD be doing at home.
I beg to differ. You seem to attribute the chief officer's choice to her assessment of the public schools. Anyone who is a parent knows that there could be a whole range of issues influencing the choice of schools your child attends. Let's try and broaden our thinking, okay?
Ha ha ha. The Chief Officer is the main problem. Fat salaries and NO results. It is a political farce and I want to see her send her kids to private school from the unemployment line! Sending her children. to private schools is a slap in the voters face
Let me try to help you "broaden" your thinking with a simple example. Would you feel comforable with your children on a ship if the captain would not allow his own family to sail on that ship, regardless of what other issues may be influencing his decision?
An interesting analogy but so full of holes it'd sink before it got out of the harbour. Okay, let me have another go re.broadening one's outlook (please, CNS). Suppose, for example, your child has special needs and is in need of a smaller school environment. Would you say that just might be worth considering? All I'm saying is we need to consider the possibility of factors we have no knowledge of before running headlong to "obvious" conclusions.
If the child was special needs then the child would not attend CIS/Prep but Hope or off island at a specialist school. If that is the reasoning. Those schools have better facilities and capabilities to attend to children with special needs, but that is not the schools specialization. Call a spade a spade. The politicians children are not in public school because they have the wherewithal to afford private school, want their children to socialize with a type of child and social class, want better education for the children, do not want their children harassed at school, smaller class sizes etc. The list can go on of reasons why they attend private school.
Like what?
Seriously, like what? You do not have to identify the needs of a specific child, but give us some examples of the "whole range of issues" you are wrote about.
Folks, let's face it, the rot started when Alden took over as education minister. The system has never recovered from that lunatic ("exciting") period of time with all that "cells and bells" hype he was spouting on about (as if he knew the first thing about teaching and learning!). A total catastrophe for our education system, and let me be bold enough to say (because I served 26 years teaching here so I might just know what I'm talking about), if you don't agree, all I can conclude is that you are in serious denial or simply oblivious to what went on.
Lets face it, the rot started with Truman. Fact.
PPM official troll master strikes again. Must be the 'political assistant' hard at work.
DING DING DING!!!!! AMEN, someone has had the heart to speak the truth, thank you.
God bless you for your honesty. You taught in the Government system for 26 years, I think you have earned the right to speak out on this issue. You are correct.
This is all the fault of the parents that raise little thugs with no respect for themselves or other people..
Let's not forget the parents of the entitled bastards that are raised without the slightest notion of respect for even the nannies that raised us as their own. Where this inflated sense of self-worth comes from, I haven't the foggiest. I presume it boils down to the old saying 'money doesn't buy you class". I had the misfortune of growing up with a couple of that lot.
Tried to get through reading the pdf but abandoned it as A. I could hardly make out the dreadful handwriting and B. I was getting seasick.
Curious…. one teacher mentioned the 3.2% pay cut and noted it worked out to $350 per month.
If I remember my high school algebra, then…
let the monthly salary = x
the pay cut is 3.2% of x, or .032x which is given as 350.
So .032x=350
x=350/.032
x = $10,937.50
Are we really paying teachers nearly CI$11,000 per MONTH!?!?! Of did the teacher fail algebra?
What is the average teacher's salary?
In Cayman, teachers make anywhere between 3,500-5000 a month; most around 4,000. That's after 4-6 years higher education.
I don't think it would be a surprise to have teachers making close to $9000 per month, foreign teachers know who to kiss up to and they do get the best benefits….salary, rental assistance, travle vouchers to go home etc etc
Hey, pal, if we are paying that much I'm coming out of retirement.
Its the 21st century and the teachers respond with this hand written scribble, I think thats the start of the problem.
Your responce is the heart of the problem
"C+Noun, S=Verb"
Say 'response'
"C+Noun, S=Verb"
Say 'response'
Although that would imply you think "responce" is a noun . . .
Back in the days when I went to school, we had teachers who were teachers, not teachers looking for only a pay cheque.
Recruit teachers from places where they speak ENGLiSH, not dialect, and are interested in teaching children, and are concerned that they learn.
Believe me, teachers do not enter the field to pick up a paycheck. It really isn't that great for all the responsibility put on them.
Yes, they may only work 180 days or such, but most work in the summer to make up the extra pay. They also have to take classes to keep up their license and certification which they have to pay for on their own.
A teacher's job does not end at 3 pm. Most teacher's have to do correcting, lesson plans, contact parents, write reports, etc. There are other jobs that make more $$ , but are not as rewarding. Ask any teacher, when they connect with their students and feel they have made a difference in one's life….$$ can not justify that feeling. I have had students come back 10-15-20 years later to thank me for changing their lives. How do you put a price tag on that?
well, some are definitely staying in the field for the pay check. They can't wait for retirement.
My dear, unless there exists strong discipline (i.e. order) in a classroom you will discover very little learning occurs, and certainly very little teaching. I never encountered a single teacher in my twenty-six years of teaching in the Cayman Islands who did it "for the money" as it wasn't that well paid compared with other professions they could easily have taken up. Your contention is a fantasy, forgive me, and has no basis in fact. The problem we have today is in an absence of strong leadership in the system, and to begin to address that we need to revert to the previous model whereby schools were run by the Education Department under the leadership of the Chief Education Officer.
Well, I had a teacher tell me that "she needs her pay check" and two principals said the same when I made suggestions to them about things to do for the children. Believe me, some are just there to collect pay checks.
13;09
I totally agree with you.
Take the resposibility from the political leaders. Let the Education Department fully run the schools. Politicians should only be forced to legislate strict laws and funds for the schools.
They are what they are…law makers.
As i see it, the people have to get off their ass and force the politicians to let go of these neck-strangle, they have on the people.
Do not wait every 4 years to take them out. Do it now! Do it through the Parent's, Teacher's association, you have the numbers. Form yourself an alliance and remove the politicians, if you do not do this now, we are going to lose eveything we worked for in these Islands.
Right, blame the teachers. It's all their fault.
Ummm hmmmm that's right. No one else is to blame; not the parents, not the inept politicians who can't complete the school buildings, not the mismanagement of the administrators/ministry…
It is important that we read the article carefully before we begin making judgements. Firstly, the attachment is a transcript of an interview. This means that the handwriting is not that of the interviewee (teacher) but the interviewer (Department or Ministry representative). It is not a questionnaire but an interview. The way the notes were written and the location of those rough notes on the paper further suggested that. This is typical of transcribing notes from an interview especially if the scribe is also the interviewer. Now, get back to the point of the article. There are actually some valid points.
A damning report card for the education management team. Come on Tara clean house.
Cleaning house is never going to happen despite it being needed and more so values thought to these kids from home
Look at the mentality of the subject leaders / principles described in the exist interview, it’s the same for the higher ups
Favoritism and who you know is the name of the game. Being a great teacher with fresh ideas and good work ethics is of no consequence around these parts.
Then we end up with substandard training/education for the kids and next it will be high unemployment amongst young school leavers and another rounds of work permit holder bashing
I say fire all expat teachers and hire the qualified Caymanian teachers here! That way we can eliminate the dialects and have teachers that speak proper English.
I say do it. Just give me a chance to retreat to a safe distance to watch.
Best (1) hour documentary: "Waiting for Superman" We pass the lemons (dead wood teachers) and our politicians refuse to change… stand UP and demand BETTER. We only have 6,000 students. Folks, this is a small town problem, but our politicians are doing this on purpose. Dumb voters fuel our reliance on the govt.
It is tme to stand up to the system and break this sad cycle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTfaro96dg
Tara has not the testicular fortitude to do what should now be done, to sort out these problems.
If the two previous Politicians could'nt sort out this mess. I say take the responsiblity away from them.
I am a graduate of what is now referred to as John Gray High School and it saddens me to read these accounts of teachers/parents/students in despair. I remember my time in school very fondly and am sickened to know that succeeding generations are not receiving the same excellent level of education.
I consider myself to be relatively succesful and I graduated with classmates who are now CEO's, Government Ministers, Preachers, Teachers, and highly succesful business owners.
May I offer three potential solutions: firstly, is there a way for me and my classmates to do more to help? If yes, would the Education Ministry please let us know.
Secondly (and I am not one who usually goes in for drastic fixes, but sometimes its called for) do we need to institute a Morgan Freeman/Stand By Me type approach to leading these schools? Much more tough love and discipline?
Third, many succesful schools in the US (and no I am not saying we have to do everything the Americans do) have a permanent police presence on campus. This does a number of things: 1. It allows teachers to concentrate on teaching and has security professionals (not $5 guards) worry about security and keeping order. 2. It allows police to interact with kids and builds trust between them. Sometimes these kids only know police as people who come to take away the men in their neighborhood. 3. In case of a serious emergency such as Columbine and Sandy Hook there are already police on site to assist (and hopefully deter).
Just some thoughts. But seriously Minister Rivers: put out the call if you need more involvement from the community at large, especially succesful graduates.
Reply to I am a graduate…
Very good comments and ideas. Sadly if something isn't done soon for these students in high school we will have lost another generation of young people. Without proper education they will not be able to get jobs. With no employment available to them the street life of the ''big shot gangstas'' will be too appealing for them to resist.
Here's hoping the educators and parents can get together to help these students before it is too late.
You didn't "graduate" from John Gray. You attended and then left without being expelled.
All that most John Gray "graduates" leave with is a Certificate of Attendance.
A 'graduate'? No, you are simply a school leaver.
In a society that fails to support open and competitive business policies and loads the dice in favour of local 'businessmen' or where employment in government service is seen as a right. Or, where MLA's are allowed to rule unchallenged for decades and preachers preside over some of the richest establishments on island, I don't think your example is worthy of too much consideration. How successful would any of these people be if they lived in a larger, unbiased and competitive society that didn't rely on work permit duty to pay for their community services and government?
And as for policemen guarding schools, what planet are you people on? This is the Cayman Islands, not Harlem or the Bronx. Teach your children respect, stop bad parenting, control diet, do more exercise, control computer and TV access, censor violent video games, get a grip on your drug and guns culture, and get an early night.
Without these basics at an early stage, the rest is irrelevant.
This cannot be true. We were assured by PPM faithful that the little angels were completely appreciative and enamoured of their palatial $150,000,000 learning community……
Yes, the kids now have professional grade kitchens where they can fight and have sex.
I love how this figure keeps rapidly rising no doubt due to UDP inflation. Next month it will be $200m!
PPM official troll master strikes again. Must be the 'political assistant' hard at work.
Looks to me that GC schools need at-risk counselors working with their students! They will work directly with those students who have poor grades, attendance and behavior issues. Track them on a daily basis. Have students get a "report" from each classroom teacher daily on behavior, effort, etc. and follow up with discipline if not improving or holding their own. As for attendance, get parents involved, then court system (if that can be done in GC). Takes the pressures off the teachers so that the teachers can do what they are hired to do and that is…teach!
Start up after school programs directed at these students. I always suggest "midnight sports programs" which would actually start around 8 pm. to keep students "off the streets". After these programs get going include homework checks, resume and job training, etc. Pizza and free sneakers or T-shirts usually are a great incentive.
Run field trips or fun events that are tied into perfect or almost perfect attendance. School dances that are tied into behavior incentives.
Events against the police, fire, ambulance are a great way to get community involvement and mentorship among some of the more difficult students and these departments.
These are just a few ideas. Good luck!
caymanian parenting is to blame…end of story.
I call racism here. Unless its the vast majority of kids are fighting, your comment is unfair and unhelpful.
I call it segregation. You reap what you sow.
Racism…. give your head a shake
who else goes to the schools, they are Caymanians..
No, they are not at least not in Brac and Little. They all go to school together.
You can blame anyone you want. The bigger question is how are you going to fix it?
I work in a" war zone" (not in GC) and it takes a toll on the teachers in the building. The morale is extremely low. There is violence in the building with students "running the show". The issue is how to gain control. Parents want their children educated. Some children want to get an education while the other children want to cause disruption. We have 14 security guards and 2 police officers every day in our building. Consistency with discipline, uniforms (for security reasons), incentive programs, tracking at-risk students, mentoring programs have seemed to help.
There are many issues in schools today. Blaming society does not fix them. Just my 2 cents.
Crikey, just as I was thinking about asking for a transfer to the Brac.
That may very well be true, but what can we do to fix the problem? We need ideas not just finger pointing.
The best idea is to send your children to a private high school.
Who can afford that?
Who can afford not to. Get a cheap used car…live a little less above your means and invest in your most important asset…YOUR CHILDREN!!!!!!! And one more thing…buildings do not teach..teachers teach..save money on the building and invest in proper teachers.
PPM administration built those million dollar schools. Just want to make it clear who started this mess!
Spot on,
Soon we will start hearing about high unemployment amongst young people and every one will look the other way as to the real reason of this
Not as simple as that…Caymanian Parenting – yes.
Influenced by every other culture but their own – yes also.
TV, Internet, suggestive music, no one taking responsibility and pointing the finger at everyone else – scary time to be a Parent anywhere in the world.
Some shmuck will find a way to blame expats, just you wait…
That is the biggest crock of bull I've heard "Caymanian Parents" it is mostly these kids we have imported from Honduras and Jamaica that is causing the issues, they are mean, manipulative and some just evil and are bringing a ton of issues to lay on the local kids. you have no idea the living hell the Caymanians children has to put up with now living with these imported paper Caymanian kids.
Oh lets not forget the Jamican teachers playing favorites to their own natioanliy, lets call a ace for a ace here, the Goverment system gets nothing compared to the Private system, you have music events that are purely Jamican culture not Caymanian or even International, even the catering for the goverment schools are second tier, when been served by the same company, we are just total been sold short in the Education deal.
Last but not least how many of our educators and Elected representatives even have there children in the public system, a very low precentage, they don't care.
So shut up about "Caymanian Parents" and go find another damn country to live, there I said it, you don't deserve the right to be on this island.
A Caymanian Parent
Thank you. I wanted to write a letter to the Education Board about some children in my son's class after my son come home telling me all the things they are saying. Can you imagine 6 year old children saying "batty hole" and your mother's face look like your a–. Unfortunately, the Caymanians are afraid of them and won't say anything.
Well thought out, factual and realistic comment. Well done.
And you are the kind of racist, bigoted, self entitled, uneducated moron that breeds these little ingrates. You are all paper Caymanians, you are all immigrants and most of you are descendants of Jamaicans or Latin Americans yourselves.
You seem to forget, we live and work amongst you, we know you, we watch the mess you make of bringing up your kids and your disgusting attitudes to others. We see and experience the hubristic incompetence that comes with being a 'Caymanian', and witness it's fall out every day. We see the corruption, the family favouritism, the nepotism, the pay cheques going out to stay at home mystery 'employees', and the treatment dealt out to those less fortunate.
No, you don't get to blame everyone else for this and make out that there is some kind of indigenous Caymanian superior breed amongst us. We know the truth, we are highly educated, highly skilled and worldly experienced, and we are here to stay.
These are your future generations, deal with it and stop the BS.
From: A 40 year 'paper' Caymanian, (that's probably longer than you've been alive).
I for one have always said I would home school my kids or move to another country before I ever would maek them go to public school here. These must be some of the world's worst schools.
The reasons there are so many problems in the schools:-
1. The strap was taken out of the schools.
2. The children are not taught manners and respect at home, therefore it is impossible for them to show same when they are awY from home.
3. Parents are children themselves and are encouraged by CFS to have more unwanted criminals to disrupt the tranquility and serenity of this country.
4. Too many imported children in the schools who are bring their bad habits with them. Eg. It is a known fact that some of those importees are growing Ganga in a district, and they are all school age children. Reported to authorities. No action.
5. Failing system, caused by parents not paying attention to children, help with homework, assigning chores, and proper supervision while not at school.
6. Bus wardens are taken to task if and when they try to control unruly behaviour. Children are supported by their parents.
7. Parents do not attend reporting sessions nor HSA meetings.
It is time to get this mess sorted out and let parents be accountable for their children, if means taking them to Court.
I agree 11:51. If the Education Ministry takes the step to reinstitute the strap in the classroom you will see how many of these wannabe thugs will find good behavour, and fast. I am not talking about abuse here but about discipline, real discipline. They should have teachers of the caliber of the late Miss Ormah Bodden, Miss Genevive, Teacher McField, Mr. Hartwell Wood and of more recent times Mrs. Eunley Miller, Mr. Gilbert McLean and Mr. Roy Bodden. All Caymanian teachers who taught their students, cared about them but did not hesitate to discipline them, with the strap when necessary. The difference was the strap was legal then, unlike today, and whichever genious(s) were responsible for removing it should be made to apologise to us all, if they are still alive to do so! I would love to see a discussion forum with teachers of the old school who are still around today and gain their insight into all of this.
How dare you suggest the strap? We have to follow the "modern" European liberal model!! You will be arrested for assaulting your own child! But are they doing any better in the mother country? Not from what I hear from Brits here. I am old enough to remember when discipline at school worked. We are on the wrong track alltogether in our "modern" world.
It doesn't take abusing your child to correct his or her actions…try working things out with knowlege and support. Lazy parents beat respect into thier children..proper parents teach respect to thier children.
You forgot one thing: PAY THE TEACHERS MORE! GIVE THEM A GOOD WAGE AND SUPPORT THEIR ACTIVITIES!
Lesson 1 if you do homeschool : How to check your spelling.
And you must be the world’s biggest idiot and please don’t try home schooling your children because they will be bigger idiots than you. Idiot did you ever investigated the schools private and public in the USA, Canada, UK and worse Jamaica or is it because you are blinded by your hatred for the people whose country you choose to live and raise your good children. It never cease to amaze me how everything that happens in these islands how people like you are quick to ridicule the island and the people without addressing the problem. All I can say is that the quality teachers being brought in to teach our children are poor and hence the way they teach and yes most of them are only here for the pay check. Children will be children and if they are left to be idle and feel as if they are worthless then violence will be the order of the day. I cannot understand how anyone of you out there that has so much negative things to say want to live in the Cayman Islands. Go somewhere else that is better because that makes you a bigger idiot than the people you think so little of.