Local attorney calls for review of disciplinary methods in schools

Notable local attorney and former magistrate, Valerie Stephens-Gordon is calling on the Ministry of Education to review the disciplinary practices being enforced in local schools.

Addressing the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Stephens-Gordon said some of the practices being used by educators across the territory can be considered as criminal offences so the ministry needs to revisit them.

According to the attorney, while some of the disciplinary methods were acceptable in previous years, there has been a global shift and some of these practices have become outdated in the 21st century.

Stephens-Gordon was addressing the court on behalf of her client Tiye Hodge, a former educator at the Ivan Dawson Primary School who pleaded guilty to using a noxious substance in a negligent manner. Back in January 2020, Hodge gave one of her 11-year-old students a substance — believed to be some kind of cleaning agent — to gargle after the child reportedly used indecent and foul language.