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Unionised teachers pressed for urgent action to make schools safer and more supportive workplaces, after a van crash involving 25 students reignited concerns about student transport, violence, and staff burnout.
BUT President Rudy Lovell told the president’s reception, which closed Teachers’ Week celebrations, that the October 20 crash, in which a ‘ZR’ route taxi full of students overturned outside the Lester Vaughan School, highlighted the urgent need for reform in student transport.
“I do not blame the children; rather, the adults driving these vans,” he said. “We must ask ourselves: How can teachers be expected to capture the attention of children immersed in such a culture before the school day even begins? It therefore goes without saying that we need a dedicated school bus service with responsible drivers.”
Lovell said the incident was part of a wider pattern of disorder and risk confronting both students and teachers. “Teachers, whose focus should be on instruction, are now forced to serve as peacemakers. We cannot teach effectively when we are constantly bracing for the next fight.”
He cited a series of violent episodes, including fights involving rocks and other weapons, a teacher being punched in the mouth, and a stabbing among students. “Teachers should not have to risk their safety to do their jobs. Schools must remain safe spaces where children can learn, and teachers can work without fear.”
The Ministry of Educational Transformation had pledged to implement a school security protocol but Lovell warned that educators were still waiting for tangible action. “Violence not only disrupts lessons but also damages students’ ability to focus and learn. A child cannot thrive academically when they are fearful or distracted by chaos,” he said.
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Lovell also addressed a range of pressing issues affecting teachers, from burnout and unpaid salaries to delays in vacation leave and rising workloads. “Teaching remains one of the most intellectually and emotionally demanding professions,” he said. “The constant cycle of lesson planning, classroom management, and student assessment inevitably leads to fatigue and burnout. That is why the provision of term’s vacation leave is not a luxury, but a necessity.”
He reminded union members that the two‑day sick‑out in April and mass meeting in May were part of ongoing efforts to have term’s vacation leave restored to its pre‑2014 state. “Regrettably, a few retired members chose to respond to the ministry’s call to replace teachers who participated in the sick‑out. To those individuals, I say: shame on you. Your actions sought to undermine our collective efforts. Nevertheless, the BUT will not relent until this matter is resolved.”
Lovell said the ministry had admitted that it does not budget annually for term’s vacation leave, a situation he described as “deeply concerning”. He acknowledged improvements such as literacy and numeracy initiatives, special needs support, and faster responses to health and safety matters, and commended the acting permanent secretary as “the most accessible and responsive PS I have worked with during my tenure”.
But he cautioned that some schools still experienced a “chaotic start to the academic year” and criticised the ministry for attempting to shift the school start time from 8:45 a.m. to 8:35 a.m. without consultation. “Let it be clearly stated that there was no consultation on this change and that the official start time remains 8:45 a.m,,” he said.
Highlighting a mental health crisis among students, Lovell pointed to data showing that 40 per cent of calls to the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ 24‑hour hotline came from children and teenagers. “This statistic confirms what teachers have long observed: many of our students are struggling under immense emotional strain,” he said. (SZB)
