Male teacher accused of physically abusing female schoolchild
According to Kishmet B. Daniel, her daughter was roughed up, ‘chucked’, and given lashes by the male teacher after she slammed shut a microwave door.
The mother is so far not satisfied that the school and the Ministry of Education have done enough to address her matter or to prevent another such alleged occurrence of physical abuse by the same teacher at the school.
Efforts to reach the accused teacher, Mr Arthur Titley, were futile and when this news site visited the school, Principal Sybil S. Hodge said neither she nor Mr Titley were going to comment on the matter as it was now in the hands of a truancy officer.
The allegations
According to Daniel, the child had related to her that she had warmed up her food in a microwave during lunch period and after having difficulty trying to close the microwave door she slammed it shut.
One of the teachers then called Mr Titley who allegedly approached the child when she was sitting having her lunch.
Mr Titley, alleged Ms Daniel, held her child by the face, lifted her off the ground and then "chucked her." She was then given six “hard” lashes in her left hand.
“The child said he was bawling out to her ‘you feel you is a woman.’”
Daniel alleged that the child’s hands were swollen from the lashes, however, she did not take the child to hospital or take any photos of the swollen hand.
“It was red and it was swollen,” Daniel said.
Matter reaches Min. of Education
The matter was reported to the Ministry of Education the same day by Ms Daniel, who said she was encouraged to write to the Acting Chief Education Officer, Mrs Jillian Douglas-Phillip, explaining what transpired at the school. This she reportedly did.
Daniel further said officials at the Education Ministry proceeded to call Principal Hodge who was reportedly unaware of the matter at the time as she was not in school.
According to Ms Daniel, her daughter’s story was corroborated by her son who happens to be in the same class with his sister.
“The same story that my daughter told me, the same story my son told me.”
Consistent story
Virgin Islands News Online also spoke to the daughter whose story was consistent with what Ms Daniel related.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Truancy Officer Mr Mackenzie Baltimore Sr, who is allegedly handling the matter, were futile.
Daniel said she also visited the school but there was no resolve to the matter as it ended up in a heated exchange of words between her and Mr Titley after he (Mr Titley) alleged spoke roughly to her.
Daniel also visited Family Support Network (FSN) but was reportedly encouraged to lodge a police report. She said the police told her she has to report the matter to the Ministry of Education who will have to forward it to the police.
“I reported this matter since December and it was never forwarded to the police.”
Meanwhile, Ms Daniel is hoping that the Ministry of Education will deal with the matter accordingly so that no other child at the school may have to suffer any abuse.
“The Ministry needs to stop sweeping things under the rug,” Ms Daniel said.
The child continues to attend the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School.
Acting Education CEO, Ms Douglas-Phillip did not respond to our queries. Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn and his Permanent Secretary Dr Marcia Potter also could not be reached up to publication time.
.png)
.png)
.png)
Follow Us On
70 Responses to “Male teacher accused of physically abusing female schoolchild”
But that story one sided. held by face? lift off ground? A blind man could see that.
There is more to this story.
He obviously is the "beater" for the school since it's another teacher who reported the incident to him and he dealt with the child in that manner. This pattern of behaviour is quite familiar to some of us with school-aged children. This type of behaviour from a male teacher is happening at another school too where some teachers report incidents to him and he is the "beater" for that school.
My husband had to go to the school. Because had swell up our daughter hand. I took both of our children out and put them in pelicans gate
Class teacher for not answering a question asked by the teacher. The child had to spend recess inside the class while other children were outside playing.