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Bayside concerns: PANORAMA Replies
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The Governments press release issued yesterday, and which we publish in full, denounced the story carried in Panorama last week, regarding the 'Concern in the Level of School Violence'. It was the kind of knee jerk response one should not expect from a responsible administration, particularly when attempts are being made to raise or bring to the public notice social issues of concern in the community.
Government have condemned Panorama of being 'misleading, factually incorrect and a raw attempt at causing unnecessary anxiety and concern to parents whose children already attend or will be attending Bayside School shortly'
The press release from Number 6 also said that 'Government rejects as alarmist and sensationalist the outburst in the article that contains accusations and insinuations which are not borne out by the facts. Government roundly condemns what can only be seen as a cold and calculating ploy that will cause distress to parents and teachers alike and is aimed at generating a loss of confidence in the education system generally and young people in particular'
Panorama as a responsible newspaper has a right to defend its position, particularly when it has been severely censured and condemned in a government statement, something which in reality, did not address any of the main points contained in our article last week. Panorama again will attempt to throw further light on the matter to completely vindicate the story published last week and the integrity of this newspaper.
The Gibraltar Government statement mentioned yesterday that 'There are no "sinister signs" and neither is there evidence to support the argument suggested by Panorama that there is growing concern amongst teachers about increasing violence" in our schools' This is totally incorrect and if anyone should be condemned for misleading the public it is the Government and Education Department!
Frontline - violence and aggression training sought by teachers
Panorama can reveal that such is the level of concern amongst teachers particularly at Bayside School that the Teachers Union has made various representations to the Education Department, regarding their concern about the violence and aggression at this school. Further to this, the Teachers Association have approached a local company, 'Frontline,' who are highly specialised in teaching many other local organisations in 'Management of violence and aggression'.
In fact Frontline instructors prepared a specific programme for the Teachers Union which included amongst others 'Control and Restraint', 'Conflict Resolution' and 'Personal Safety' a programme that was accepted by this union, as one they thought necessary under the circumstances, and one, which they went back to the Education Department attempting to seek the required funding!
How the Education Department or the Government can now make out they know nothing, as if no one from the Teachers Union for instance, has ever approached the Education Department with these concerns is incomprehensible!
In fact Frontline Instructors have already attended Bayside School and have carried out a full demonstration to the teachers there on the range of management and aggression techniques. Not only that, but Head Masters and Deputy Heads from most schools, also attended a demonstration at the Frontline Dojo where this programme was also demonstrated to those present.
Surely the Education Department were informed of this?
And to confirm the level of concern at this school, even 'Lunch Ladies' at Bayside School who are also concerned, have themselves approached 'Frontline Instructors' regarding a similar training programme for them!
The interest by teachers in this type of personal safety and conflict resolution training has been for a reason! Although if as Government say 'nothing is happening, particularly at Bayside School' and reject this story and accuse Panorama as 'alarmist and sensationalist' than the Government and the Education Department appear to have no idea what is happening in the school, or are out of touch with the teachers real concerns on this issue, especially at Bayside!
The Government in their release also dismiss any arrest relating to violence and drugs and yet the RGP in answer to questions by us said that since last year they had dealt with 'six incidents of assault at Bayside Comprehensive School that were reported to police, and a further incident of assault at Westside School. The Police went on to say that 'they had also dealt with other incidents which do not fall under incidents of Violence, Aggressive Behaviour or Disturbances involving students, these incidents range from minor thefts, setting off the fire alarm and students found in possession of drugs'.
As for the so-called RGP complaint to Panorama for having "misrepresented information supplied by the RGP", this was in shape of a typesetting error that was promptly corrected in our next edition.
The government concluded their statement by saying that 'it was in the period 1988 - 1996 and not in 2011 that young people were most in danger of succumbing to the steepest moral decline in the history of Gibraltar'
The happenings of 15 or 16 years ago is now history, it is the present that the majority of Gibraltarians are extremely concerned about, even the Supreme Court, who only a few weeks ago said 'that the sale of cocaine was "prevalent" or "rife" in Gibraltar. People are also concerned about the rise in crime which again surged another 13% last year according to official figures. People are concerned about the abuse of other drugs, the legally obtainable ones like Alcohol.
People also continue to be concerned about the decline in social values, the lack of respect for authority, broken homes and marriages, all considered mirrors of today's society, these are the real concerns!
Referring to the past to justify the actions of present day society, will not convince many, particularly when people constantly witness for themselves the true nature of today's negative social issues developing around us!
09-08-11
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