More trouble at Cedros Secondary School

AFTER a video surfaced on WhatsApp showing two parents fighting outside Cedros Secondary School, a source close to the school told Newsday there are many other problems there

The source spoke to Newsday by phone on condition of anonymity on October 29.

They claimed the main issue at the school was the high level of indiscipline and violence among students.

The source also claimed 90 per cent of the school’s population scored less than 30 per cent in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA).

“The school gets remedial students from La Brea and Point Fortin that did not make it to any of the secondary schools in their district.

“A lot of them are boys, and they act out, causing lots of fights to take place.”

The source said offending students were only punished with a maximum of seven days' suspension but were then reintegrated into the school. The source added that the school had a small number of autistic and other special-needs students, but claimed: “The school has no remedial teachers.

“The staff has no support! The staff is becoming traumatised.”

The source also claimed form-two and -three students had been “kicked off” the Public Transport Service Corporation’s (PTSC) school bus service used by the school to accommodate newer form-one students.

“The students from La Brea and Point Fortin come in maxis (subcontracted from PTSC). There is not enough space for all students in forms one to three.

“Every year the school gets a little over 100 students, but for CXC, only 65-70 are registered.”

The source also said a parent had recently issued a threat to kill a member of  staff along with five students.

Newsday was shown two one-minute TikTok videos which have now been deleted from the platform. In them, a male voice is heard issuing threats to a named member of staff and the students, who he claimed were bullying children at the school.

The man says, “Cedros school does not have enough security, neither the police station. They have three police in the police station. They cannot stop me. I will be coming back for you.”

The source was told the issue had been reported to the police.

But when Newsday asked Cedros police about the threats on October 29, they said they had no report on the videos or threats.

The source also claimed the food lab ceiling had fallen in almost a year ago and the school had been unable to facilitate practical exercises or exams since then.

Newsday tried to contact Minister of Education Nyan Gadsby-Dolly for a comment on the numerous issues at the school via WhatsApp on October 29, but there was no response up to press time.

The source said they were informed the issue had been reported to the TT Unified Teachers Association’s (TTUTA) school representative.

Newsday contacted TTUTA president Martin Lum Kin by phone on October 29 and asked if he was aware of the situation. He said he contacted the district (St Patrick) who said the staff representative made reports on the issues she was unable to deal with on her own.

“The issues brought to the attention of the district field officer, he would have given advice. There were some she needed to report directly to the school’s administration.”

Lum Kin said where necessary, the district field officer would have contacted the school supervisor.

“There are some issues that would require additional intervention, but the staff representative did reach out to the district, and the district, where possible, would have intervened.”

The source also claimed there was no functioning Parent Teachers Association (PTA) at the school.

Newsday contacted National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA) president Walter Stewart by phone on October 29. He said there was a PTA at the school and he had been in contact with the president. Newsday asked for a contact for the Cedros Secondary PTA president, but Stewart did not provide one up to press time.

The issues were brought to Newsday after a video circulating on WhatsApp showed two parents fighting outside the Cedros Secondary School, which escalated from a parents’ conference to deal with an issue between two students.

Gadsby-Dolly, responding to Newsday by WhatsApp on October 28, said the principal had been advised to report the matter to the police.

On October 29 Newsday contacted Cedros police, who confirmed a report on the fight had been made and investigations were ongoing.

In the video, two women can be seen fighting – one armed with a cutlass.

One child can be heard begging her mother to stop, while a man tries to separate the two. The 41-second video ends with one woman grabbing the other’s hair and  fighting for possession of the cutlass.

Gadsby-Dolly said, “It is beyond tragic that a parent conference called to deal with an issue between schoolmates can end like this.

“We parents must, despite the challenges, set the example for our children to follow.”

On October 28, Stewart, in a WhatsApp message, told Newsday the NPTA also condemned the parents' actions.

“The incident appeals for a thorough investigation by law enforcement as to the reason(s) for such a fight involving a weapon in the presence of students.

“It is also reprehensible that this act was witnessed by the daughter of one of the women who from the video repeatedly called out to ‘Mummy.’”

Stewart said adults should set the example and be role models to children and young people. He called on the police to arrange frequent patrols at schools particularly in hot-spot areas to prevent indiscipline, crime and acts of violence.