KINGSTON, Jamaica — President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Leighton Johnson has condemned last week’s attack on a teacher by a parent at Vere Technical High School, saying the incident is an indicator that the nation has lost its way.

“Schools are spaces that promote order and discipline, respect and tolerance. And, notwithstanding the negative publicity brought on our schools by some students and parents, schools still remain beacons of hope. Therefore, as a nation, we must protect the school as arguably the last most stable socialising agency left within our society,” stated the JTA president in an audio release on Sunday.

For this reason, Johnson is encouraging parents to get back to the place where strong partnerships and relationships are forged with schools.

“We need parents to desist from making disparaging and in many instances derogatory remarks about our schools in the presence of their children,” urged Johnson.

The JTA president said parents should lead by example and demonstrate to their children how conflicts can be resolved amicably without resorting to violence.

“And of course, this is modelling acceptable behaviour patterns in resolving issues at the school level,” argued Johnson.

The JTA president said his association is once again making that urgent call for parents to support schools in reinforcing positive character-based values and attitudes that schools are promoting.

“Parents, we need this partnership and we need you to be on board with us. We must be speaking the same language. We must be speaking in one voice. Our children are looking to us to be the examples so that they can grow in a world where they can be decent men and women who understand how to deal with conflicts amicably as they grow,” argued Johnson.

Last Wednesday, it was reported that a teacher at the Clarendon-based high school had to seek medical attention after she was assaulted by a parent and a group of students, two of whom are believed to be related.

The confrontation was reportedly a result of a teacher’s decision to confiscate the bag of a student who walked out of a teaching session. Allegations are that the student’s parents along with the group of students later visited the school’s staff room and demanded the return of the bag. The teacher who had confiscated the bag was not present at the time, and this reportedly resulted in a physical confrontation with another teacher.

READ: Education minister condemns attack on Vere Tech teacher

— Anthony Lewis