ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams has condemned as “unprofessional and inexcusable”, the conduct of a teacher at the Newell High School in St Elizabeth, who was seen on video verbally assaulting, chasing and making death threats to a student.

Minister Williams said such behaviour lowers the professionalism of the teaching sector.

“This normalises violence in the minds of our students and does not provide the kind of role model that the society expects of our teachers,” Williams said.

In a release on Thursday, the Education Ministry noted that in accordance with the 48 hours required by current regulations for notice to members, the Chairman of the Board has called an emergency meeting on Friday to deal with the conduct of the teacher.

“I spoke with the Chairman of the Board of Newell High School, who is equally concerned by the verbal attack on the student and the death threats towards the student,” Minister Williams said.

Williams noted that it has been reported that this is not the first time that the teacher has acted in a similarly threatening manner towards students.

“This inexcusable act on the part of the teacher cannot be defended,” she said.

“The students will be given counselling and psychotherapy to treat with the trauma caused by the verbal abuse and violent threat to which they were exposed. School should be a place where students feel protected and safe and trusting of the adults in charge of their well-being,” Williams added.

She noted as well the need for psychotherapy sessions for the teacher.

The videos have been referred to the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) and the Commissioner of Police for investigation.

READ: Teacher threatens to kill student in video, OCA launches probe