The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

AN advocate for the rights and protection of family members of murder victims, Khandi Gibson, is calling for increased partnership between parents and teachers in an effort to end gang affiliation and violence in youth.  

In an interview with The Tribune, the director and founder of the organisation Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM) said our society must realise there are only three places where many Bahamian children are freely accepted: the prison system, gangs and the grave.

She called for the establishment of a communications system for teachers and parents, and the introduction of mandatory conflict resolution classes. 

Ms Gibson said: “Kids are joining gangs because they’re looking for identity and they’re looking for safety. If we don’t find a way to nip this (issue) in the bud now and be responsible for our children, then where does it leave us as a country?

“We live in a time where the older men are misleading our kids,” she continued. 

“Kids today are not taught the value of life. These young men are not taught when you fight another brother, guess what you’re actually attacking yourself because God made all men. He made everybody in the image of Him. Your life has value regardless if things aren’t going good at home, or if you can’t wear the Tommy or the Jordans, your life has value.”

Ms Gibson said communication should be established between teachers and parents, and suggested the use of social media platforms. She also stressed the importance of creating safe zones within classrooms to encourage students to confide in their teacher if they need help.

She said: “Teachers should create a WhatsApp group with all the students’ parents in their class. If Tommy isn’t to school the teacher should message the parent and say ‘hi so-and-so it’s 9.40am and your child isn’t in school, is everything ok?’ 

“Teachers also need to make the children comfortable so they can come to them and tell them anything,” she said. 

“As a teacher your job is to go to the principal and try to sort whatever issues out. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, it’s the school’s job to turn the problem child or children over to CDU.”

Ms Gibson urged schools to take a stronger approach, and called for the introduction of mandatory conflict resolution classes as part of the national curriculum.

“I think schools should include Urban Renewal and a conflict resolution class...that class should be mandatory in schools.

“(When things happen in the schools) don’t have a special assembly and (invite) one guest speaker to speak to students because that is only one time. Teachers know who the troubled students and the good students are...the focus should be on the trouble makers. Maybe they came from a battered home and they can only portray what they see in their environment.” 

She added: “If an incident happens at a school, what the school does is suspend (the students) instead they should bring the parents in to try to nip the (situation) in the bud. Suspending children is not the answer because what are the children going to do in the meantime? They’re going to adapt more to their environment, and they have more time to hook up with my friends and be with the gangs.

“We need to get the churches more involved in the schools. When they get suspended and they have to do community service they fold clothes or lift blocks that is not the answer because the child still has an issue.”

She continued: “The schools have PTA meetings and parents don’t go. Schools should make PTA meetings mandatory for parents. If the school has four meetings per year parents should be required to attend at least two. Teachers are with your child from 9 to 3 and your child is the teacher’s child while you’re to work.”

Finally, Ms Gibson acknowledged it takes more than a village to raise a child and conceded that parents must be more involved in their children’s lives. She said the responsibility rested on parents to become knowledgeable about the challenges facing their children.

“We now as parents have to go through our children’s Facebook account and see what they’re doing on Facebook because the stuff they’re normally doing online parents won’t know.