Tyrone Reid, Staff ReporterIF THE bathroom walls of our nation's high schools could talk, they would tell a telling tale of infamy among the island's students who are being sucked into a vacuum of gang violence.
The gangster graffiti defacing most, if not all, the bathroom walls in high schools across the Corporate Area serve as more than circumstantial evidence of the presence of gangs in the
public school system.
'Murder Ink Squad', 'Mad Demonic Theo Unit' and 'Danger Ink Squad' were some of the
writings on the wall of an upgraded high school in Kingston.
A trek through a traditional high school, also in Kingston, yielded similar results gangs proclaiming their presence. The bathroom wall was transformed into a mural by gang graffiti. 'Mad Squad from West Cumberland', '3-G Gang', 'Fiya Squad' and 'Iceberg Squad' were a few of the writings jostling for space on the wall just as the gangs fight over control for turf on campus. When the walls could take no more, the artistic teens turned to the ceiling.
Additionally, three phone numbers with accompanying female names were also seen on the wall of infamy at a very prominent all-boys' school in Kingston. The names and numbers were accompanied by a sick invitation, which said that persons interested in receiving easy sexual favours should just call these girls. When The Sunday Gleaner called the numbers, two of them said incoming calls had been restricted while one rang without answer.
A gun and a death threat were also inscribed on the wall.
GENERATIONS OF GANGS
Some schools have been forced to take drastic measures to prevent generations of gangs from taking root in their school. Principal of Kingston College, Keith Bryan, broke protocol by sending approximately 10 boys home and asking them not to return. He did this without the approval of the board.
The principal said the move was a last resort after many soft measures, including counselling and the summoning of parents to meetings, had failed.
Despite the names of gangs on the walls proclaiming their presence at the school, the principal is convinced that the drastic measures employed by his administration more than two years ago, nipped the growth of the malignant cells in the bud.
Despite having the names of gangs and crews of her school's bathroom walls, Wesna Nolan, principal of Tivoli Gardens High School said there were no gangs in her school. "We don't have gangs, but we have four or five students walking together as a group but as a gang, no," she stressed. The diminutive but outspoken Ms. Nolan said the Safe Schools Programme was not needed at her school because the administration was coping with the disciplinary problems that they were facing.
Ms. Nolan, who has been principal since 1998, said that impromptu searches have yielded knives but no guns thus far. The conversation with The Sunday Gleaner was discontinued when the question about whether marijuana was being sold or smoked by the students in school was posed. She flatly said if that were the case, it did not concern the media, as it was a school matter.
Over in neighbouring Denham Town High School, Audrey-Cecilia Williams, principal for the past 16 months, said that the school does not have a problem with gangs. Ms. Williams said that the Safe Schools Programme is working wonders on the school populace. She added that the Safe Schools Programme is being aided by the school's guidance and counselling department; workshops sponsored by PALS and other outreach activities.
Answering to accusations made by the parent of a former student, about Wolmer's Boys' School, Dave Myrie boldly defended the integrity of his institution.
The parent told The Sunday Gleaner that gang activities and ganja smoking were taking place at the school but people were afraid to talk about it. Mr. Myrie categorically denied these allegations.
"That is a lie. That has never happened. In fact, we got rid of the vendors from the gate because the police warned that some of them were smuggling contraband."
He said the students at Wolmer's are not afraid to give him the 411 (read information). "The boys are not backwards in coming forward. The vast majority of what I know comes from the boys saying, 'Mr. Myrie ...'," he stressed. Mr. Myrie said in the five years he has been at the helm only a couple knives have been confiscated and both occasions resulted in expulsion. He said the school has a zero tolerance
policy on bringing weapons to school, which is enforced by
frequent impromptu searches.
