The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) has expressed concerns about the increasing reports it has been getting of late regarding violence against teachers.
President of the BSTU, Mary-Ann Redman acknowledged that this troubling matter will be one of the issues which teachers will be calling attention to during their March of Respect to be held today.
The march, which is scheduled to commence at 10 a.m. from Queen’s Park in the City, will see union officials and teachers heading to the Chief Personnel’s Office (CPO) in Culloden Road, St. Michael, where a talk will be held outside that office and afterwards, the teachers will head to BSTU’s headquarters in Belleville, St. Michael.
“We are getting an increasing number of reports of violence against teachers, where teachers are being physically assaulted and verbally abused,” Redman told The Barbados Advocate.
She also noted that a number of teachers also have to endure sexually explicit comments coming from students, on a regular basis.
“A lot of sexual things are being said to teachers by students openly and without reservation and the teachers are frustrated and they feel that they have nowhere to turn for redress,” the BSTU President commented.
As such, she noted that this issue, in addition to many more, will be the focus of the March of Respect to be held today, for which teachers have agitated. (RSM)