Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Security personnel search students for weapons at a function at the National Arena, Kingston. The recent upsurge in school-based violence has prompted the call for more searches and greater security in schools.
In light of recent incidents where children have been killed by other children during disputes, Children's Advocate Mary Clarke is calling for greater vigilance from parents.
Clarke is urging parents to search children and their bags on a regular basis, to prevent them from carrying weapons to school or elsewhere.
"It is now absolutely necessary to put in place methods to detect and deal with weapons at school being carried by children. How is it so easy for them to use knives and daggers as reported in the media?" a statement from Clarke read.
In recent weeks, two teens, 16-year-old Omar Sushane from Bellefield High, and 16-year-old Tivan Sewell, a grade-10 student of the Brown's Town High School, were both stabbed to death by other teens after disputes. A 13-year-old boy's body was also found stuffed in a suitcase on March 5 in the community of Norwood in St James.
Inspect your children
"Consultations with children have revealed that children can take weapons to school without their parents' knowledge. Parents need to inspect their children's person and bags on a regular basis."
Clarke also called for more observation of children with suspected mental problems, as the identification of these problems could prevent tragedies.
"The question has to be raised for children who murdered others, were there no signs of troubled minds which could have been referred to a psychologist," the statement read. "Additionally, there appears to be so much anger in the society which has to be defused to reduce the many incidents of violence."
Clarke continued by calling for the teaching of conflict resolution and life skills, peer mediation, literacy education and the provision. She also emphasised the need for the provision of psychosocial support for traumatised children.
Mark Beckford
