All is not well in Anguilla. When I read the paper, listen to the radio, scan the blogs, or log onto local internet forums, one thing is clear: people in Anguilla are concerned, confused, angry, even scared about the level of violence, crime, drug and alcohol use, and general disconnect among the youth on the island. I don’t hear many people denying that these are growing concerns. What I do hear is a tremendous difference of opinion as to why all of this is occurring and what should be done to make things better. Clearly there are no simple answers. I am not a criminologist, nor a sociologist, and I am not an Anguillian, so I can’t offer a magic solution. However I am an educator, and I strongly believe that a great deal more can be done within the schools to improve the outlook for the youth of Anguilla, and thus reduce the level of crime and violence.

Peter Wolinksy

Think about it. We can’t go into every home to evaluate and support children. Yet every child in Anguilla is required to attend school, and almost every child does, at least through primary school. So it is here, within the Anguillan schools, that we have the best opportunity to effect positive changes in children. We need to recognize the importance of school not just for preparing children to sit for exams, but as a place that can support their social and emotional development, help to develop moral character, and instill a sense of self-confidence and purpose. Schools can act in a proactive way to identify children who are at risk for learning, behavior, mental health, or physical health issues. This must be done at an early age. And, most importantly, the schools can help to coordinate interventions to help these students starting at a young age, and continuing on through secondary school. The schools can be the catalyst for helping to strengthen and coordinate services with other department, such as Social Development, Probation, Judicial, and Health, so as to provide more seamless and effective interventions.

This is not just hopeful chatter. It can be done, and it can be done relatively quickly, with little additional financial cost. What it will require is leadership and a commitment on the part of administrators, teachers, parents, and the community. There are tools and methods available that can be used for early identification of at-risk children. There are effective programs that can be implemented to service these children and improve their school performance. We simply need to agree that it is now time to put this all in place. The sense of urgency is apparent.
Can we reach out and help every child? Probably not. Can we reach out and help considerably more children? Definitely. What are some of the specific steps that can be taken quickly? Read this column next week. What are your thoughts? Email them to me.

Peter Wolinsky is the Educational Psychologist. He can be contacted at Peter.Wolinsky@Gov.AI

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