The scene after a 15-year-old student was stabbed recently.
By MORGAN ADDERLEY & RIEL MAJOR
Tribune Staff Reporters
STUDENTS have called for increased mentorship for at-risk youngsters in schools as they expressed fears about the rising tide of gang violence plaguing both their educational institutions and communities.
The Tribune canvassed junior and senior high schools across New Providence, speaking to students about their views and feelings regarding violence in schools in the wake of a recent stabbing death of a 15-year-old boy allegedly at the hands of another teenager. Some 15 students, aged between 13-18, were interviewed — all of whom have been impacted by gangs and gang violence.
One 15-year-old boy told The Tribune that the “majority” of students at his school are involved in gangs, surmising this is due to boys not having father figures in their lives or falling into the “wrong crowds”.
A second 11th grade CC Sweeting student told The Tribune he believes another fatal stabbing could occur.
“Yea,” the 16-year-old said. “(Because) people don’t know how to talk it out.”
He added students “definitely” carry weapons to school.
A 12th grade RM Bailey Senior High School student said she does fear gang violence as she has been a victim of it herself.
“Worried? Most definitely,” the 17-year-old girl said. “Scared? More like terrified. Being a victim of bullying, many gang members have either abused me verbally or physically. I’m scared that my little brothers would fall into the arms of gang violence because they aren’t too strong or tough.
“It scares me because anyone can be targeted. Many crazy initiations are taking place in our schools and communities. I’m scared that my innocent little sister can be either hurt or even verbally attacked by a boy in a gang to earn brownie points.
“I’m praying that things change, so that my worrying spirit and terrified mind can be at ease.”
Another RM Bailey student, a tenth-grade boy, admitted to being a gang member. He referenced the value he perceives gang affiliation brings to his manhood while also acknowledging its price.
“I am 15-years-old, a gang member but I’m more worried and scared than the average student in school,” he said. “Because being pushed to do things that I don’t want to do actually makes me think about what is going to happen to me if I continue on this route I’m taking.
“Gang violence makes me feel strong, macho and even in charge. My experiences with fighting and robbing innocent people make me feel like my karma is going to come back. But gang violence needs to be stopped in schools, or our lives will all be in jeopardy.”
Gang violence affects even the youngest in our society. An 8th-grade TA Thompson student said that even at the tender age of 13, she fears accidentally getting caught up in the crossfire.
When asked if she fears violence at school, the young girl replied: “I feel like I don’t bother with no one, so them and they gang violence I does stay far from them.
“But like when they doing stuff at school I just don’t want me get caught up in nothing. So I stay far away from the gangs.”
An 11th-grade CC Sweeting student described gang violence as getting “out of control” in schools.
“Everyone just riding with gangs,” the 15-year-old said. “Everyone involved. And just because kids getting bullied, they wan’ join gangs.
“You got some parents and all who involved. The children get in their lil’ vibes in school and then they call their parents and people them so after school they could be there.”
When asked whether students feel afraid to walk home from school, the young man said yes.
“Because then you got some people from other areas, different schools, coming down there. Throwing rock at the children, trying (to) jook them up.”
A 12th-grade Doris Johnson student told The Tribune she believes the prevalence of gang violence is “due to the fact that there is no one to really take time out and talk to the young males in our society without criticising them.”
In a similar vein, an 11th-grade CC Sweeting student called for teachers and administrators to do more.
“I think they could talk to the people who are pressured to be in gangs or who are in gangs - like teach them how they could solve it in a positive way instead of solving it in a negative way and reward them for each trial they pass,” he said. “That’s what I think they should do.”
Comments
proudloudandfnm 5 years ago
About time our police get help with this gang war. Obviously they have no idea how to handle it. I suggest they go to the US and ask for help. This can be managed, they just need professional help. Stop telling us you know what you're doing. Obviously you do not....
John 5 years ago
Excuse me?
bogart 5 years ago
GLARING....SHOCKING....GRAFFETTI....LARGE AMOJNTS OF CHILDRENS INVOLVED....didnt da URBAN RENEWAL OFFICES WID SALARIED WORKERS..........BEEN SLEEPING...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TAXPAYING MPs COMSTITUENCIES OFFICES.........in erry constituency area can knows bout erry person in erry house in erry juk juk corner who can vote ......but cant pick up on dis devestating society affecting gang disease tearing up social peace broughtupsies........AN NEVER BIN SEEN TO NOTICING IT.....??????......but can know how many voters in erry house only....!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHURCHES.....who erected HUGE MOMUMENTAL CHURCH STRUCTURES...public tax concessions... all dese churches in dese critically affested areas ...whose CHURCH peoples for centuries .......even today Church people can travel to offer countries outside Bahamas.....even cross da oceas to AFRICA to spread da word of Almighty Lord an Saviour......can sail half way round da world to spread Christianity....an todays cant go out da church building an spread da word half a block away......!!!!!!!!
ashley14 5 years ago
Really sad news. They really need to clean up the crime. I’m on the Island until Monday, convinced to stay with the hotel excursions. I love it here, it would be so much nicer if it was safe to adventure around the island. Happy to be here.
ashley14 5 years ago
I don’t guess anyone would tell John that I’m here.
John 5 years ago
Yet we have human resources both on the police force and defence force that we would rather send out to the pastures to graze, rather than utilise them and make our schools and the youth of the country safer. Take the grandfathers out the family to make it stronger? Placing these 'retired" officers in the major schools where they can interact with students on a daily basis, not only on a policing level but where they can actually teach classes, like health and safety, that would include teachings about gangs and conflict resolution, but having additional male presence on the campus, someone that has direct access to the police control rooms and that is seasoned in police matters, but NO, our egos will not allow for that. Send them home! Then they must attack the gangs at the head and cut it off. Then the body will die.
sheeprunner12 5 years ago
Sooooooo, the tens (or hundreds) of millions that Urban Renewal spent on inner city youth development since 2002 has failed????? ............. all the community bands, HW centres, sports clubs, job readiness, gang intervention, school policing, police clubs, home improvement schemes, Shock Treatment etc. has failed? ......... Well, Minnis getting ready to throw more millions at the Ghetto.
sheeprunner12 5 years ago
It goes to show where the real problem lies ............ In the homes, with the parents/guardians.
No Government can really fix that ......... except it makes delinquent parents accountable.
Who will report a delinquent parent to the Courts????? ........ Teacher, Principal, Pastor, Police, Neighbour, Family, DOSS, (or all of the above)???? ........... Right now, there is too much social cover-up of these issues.
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
Can't make make good grades afraid.
sheeprunner12 5 years ago
We surely don't hear the Unions making much noise about all of this gangsterism in schools .......... SMH
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
If you slap these school kids with having to figure out insurance, taxes, affording kids, banking, property management, ect. They won't be choosing dumbness.
That might be mental abuse but surely a better form than gangsterism.
sheeprunner12 5 years ago
Slap who?????? .......... How many of these kids really give a damn about how or where their daily personal OR education needs come from??? ......
Many go to school dressed to the nines - with no books, bags, texts or other basic tools to learn ...... but they sure have smartphones & weapons that are banned from normal public school classrooms. Go figger.
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