FACTS ONLY
02-08-08, - 07:17 PM
By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com -
A combination of sex, drugs and alcohol, coupled with the collapse of family life and the ignored calls for help by a generation of confused young people, have been identified as some of the key components behind youth violence, a group of students revealed.
These revelations came during a talk show and a forum where attention was placed on the issue.
Delano Carey, one of the guests on Island FM's talk show Let's Talk Health, warned parents on Wednesday night to monitor their children's whereabouts, as high school students are targeted and sometimes invited to "sex parties".
"Parents need to watch where their children are going, because when they say they are going to the mall, but they might be going to sex parties called orgies. I was invited to one. One of my friends' parents got together -they planned it for everyone to come and buy drinks and have an orgy," said Carey.
He was joined on the show by other members of the Adolescent House on Shirley St. including Karen Johnson, Champagne Clarke, Ashley Johnson, and Shavon Johnson - a mixture of high school students and recent graduates.
Carey told host Jennifer Mackey, that persons aged 17 to 25 are often targeted for the parties.
"They are having sex with multiple partners and they are not sure what they have," he continued, referring to sexually transmitted diseases.
Meanwhile, during a forum on the issue of violence, C.R. Walker student Antonio Abraham said violence in schools stems from a much bigger problem, and for the most part is a cry for help.
I don't consider it (school violence) a problem, but it's a symptom of a bigger problem. When you see a fight happen, there is a fight before you see the chairs start to fly and the fists start to fly. There is a fight before those symptoms," he said addressing the forum participants.
"But the bigger problem is the children themselves have these internal issues that they're dealing with - insecurities, lack of respect, lack of maturity, lack of self control, lust, jealously, and the children are crying out to the people in the home and the people in authority to reach out to them. They are begging for you guys to pull them in to where they need to be," he continued, giving insight into the minds of school children.
The high levels of violence in schools have prompted the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture and the Organization of American States to join forces with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to sponsor a Caribbean regional workshop on how to reduce school violence.
Education Minister Carl Bethel, Permanent Secretary Elma Garraway, Bahamas Union of Teachers President Ida Poitier, R.M. Bailey Principal Julian Anderson and young Abraham were panelists at the forum, which brought together students, teachers, and administrators from across the region to discuss and analyze policies and strategies, designed to eliminate violence and promote a culture of peace within schools.
During the talk show, members of the Adolescent House, which has programs geared towards the positive mentorship of students, revealed that children younger than 12 years of age smoke marijuana and drink alcohol.
Student Champagne Clarke said that seventh graders are smoking, "fighting over women," and joining gangs.
Another high-schooler explained that for some students, their gang is like their family.
"They don't get that love from home and the gangs can offer it," he said.
Meanwhile, at the forum, Antonio Abraham said the youth are not getting what they need from their parents and other persons they look up to.
"They are not getting the food that they need, the mentorship, everything that they need they are not getting it. These things that we call problems are just the symptoms of the bigger issues that we are ignoring," he said.
Countries attending the three day workshop included Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Olympic medalist Nathaniel McKinney, who is a former member of the Adolescent House told The Guardian yesterday that the program was a beneficial one. Discussions centered around HIV and AIDS, teen pregnancy, gang violence, and pressures at home and at school.
McKinney added that the program helped him to build his character.
While some people or idiots like Omar Archer Sr are worrying about homosexuals who he thinks are child molesters, he and others like him and parent in general, better watch out for "closet swingers."
A combination of sex, drugs and alcohol, coupled with the collapse of family life and the ignored calls for help by a generation of confused young people, have been identified as some of the key components behind youth violence, a group of students revealed.
These revelations came during a talk show and a forum where attention was placed on the issue.
Delano Carey, one of the guests on Island FM's talk show Let's Talk Health, warned parents on Wednesday night to monitor their children's whereabouts, as high school students are targeted and sometimes invited to "sex parties".
"Parents need to watch where their children are going, because when they say they are going to the mall, but they might be going to sex parties called orgies. I was invited to one. One of my friends' parents got together -they planned it for everyone to come and buy drinks and have an orgy," said Carey.
He was joined on the show by other members of the Adolescent House on Shirley St. including Karen Johnson, Champagne Clarke, Ashley Johnson, and Shavon Johnson - a mixture of high school students and recent graduates.
Carey told host Jennifer Mackey, that persons aged 17 to 25 are often targeted for the parties.
"They are having sex with multiple partners and they are not sure what they have," he continued, referring to sexually transmitted diseases.
Meanwhile, during a forum on the issue of violence, C.R. Walker student Antonio Abraham said violence in schools stems from a much bigger problem, and for the most part is a cry for help.
I don't consider it (school violence) a problem, but it's a symptom of a bigger problem. When you see a fight happen, there is a fight before you see the chairs start to fly and the fists start to fly. There is a fight before those symptoms," he said addressing the forum participants.
"But the bigger problem is the children themselves have these internal issues that they're dealing with - insecurities, lack of respect, lack of maturity, lack of self control, lust, jealously, and the children are crying out to the people in the home and the people in authority to reach out to them. They are begging for you guys to pull them in to where they need to be," he continued, giving insight into the minds of school children.
The high levels of violence in schools have prompted the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture and the Organization of American States to join forces with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to sponsor a Caribbean regional workshop on how to reduce school violence.
Education Minister Carl Bethel, Permanent Secretary Elma Garraway, Bahamas Union of Teachers President Ida Poitier, R.M. Bailey Principal Julian Anderson and young Abraham were panelists at the forum, which brought together students, teachers, and administrators from across the region to discuss and analyze policies and strategies, designed to eliminate violence and promote a culture of peace within schools.
During the talk show, members of the Adolescent House, which has programs geared towards the positive mentorship of students, revealed that children younger than 12 years of age smoke marijuana and drink alcohol.
Student Champagne Clarke said that seventh graders are smoking, "fighting over women," and joining gangs.
Another high-schooler explained that for some students, their gang is like their family.
"They don't get that love from home and the gangs can offer it," he said.
Meanwhile, at the forum, Antonio Abraham said the youth are not getting what they need from their parents and other persons they look up to.
"They are not getting the food that they need, the mentorship, everything that they need they are not getting it. These things that we call problems are just the symptoms of the bigger issues that we are ignoring," he said.
Countries attending the three day workshop included Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Olympic medalist Nathaniel McKinney, who is a former member of the Adolescent House told The Guardian yesterday that the program was a beneficial one. Discussions centered around HIV and AIDS, teen pregnancy, gang violence, and pressures at home and at school.
McKinney added that the program helped him to build his character.
While some people or idiots like Omar Archer Sr are worrying about homosexuals who he thinks are child molesters, he and others like him and parent in general, better watch out for "closet swingers."