‘Sir choked me’

VALDEEN SHEARS

The Ministry of Education has confirmed that an investigation is under way into the claim of a parent that her son was assaulted by the vice-principal at a school in East Trinidad.

The official said a school supervisor had visited the school, interviewed the principal, vice-principal, teachers and eyewitnesses and statements were compiled and sent to the ministry. “It is at the ministry level. “

The mother of the Standard Three student said he had suffered soft-tissue damage to his neck and shoulders, after allegedly being choked by the school’s vice-principal on June 29.

The parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, contacted Newsday, saying her son was in severe pain on the day of the incident and she was compelled to go to both the police station and the Arima Health Facility.

The woman also offered to provide documents, such as a copy of the doctor’s prescription and the receipt from the Arouca police station.

“No matter what he might have done, he is 11 years old. It could and should have been handled differently. You can’t choke or hit students and then tell them, ‘Now go and tell yuh mother whatever lies you want to,’ leave him in pain and expect a mother, a parent not to want some answers,” said the woman.

However, the ministry official said the ministry was of the opinion that the mother is simply building a case with the hopes to have her child transferred to a school of her choosing.

The official said a transfer was offered to a school closest to her home, but was rejected by the mother.

“She wants a school in what the ministry calls its catchment area, but she does not fit the criteria for those schools. Those schools are out of her area, neither can she state she works nearby those areas and it would be to the child’s convenience if he is placed there. There are other criteria and she has not met any. From my understanding she has been seeking a transfer for the last two years, but the offer for the school nearest to her home has once again been rejected,” said the official.

That offer, said the official, is still open to her.

The mother confirmed her request for a transfer since 2016, after an incident involving another teacher and her child. An investigation had been launched and closed by the ministry, she said.

“I am not trying to be difficult, but the area I live in is known to have criminal activities and some of it is in that particular school, bullying and so on. It stems from the crime level in my community and even directly where I live. I don’t want my son to fall prey to that at all.

“I have approached several schools in the last two years. I would like some assistance from the Minister of Education in getting my son transferred to a school where he can feel safe,” she said.

Calls to the cellphone of president of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai went unanswered.