Police Urge Students To Go Straight Home
[Updated] The Bermuda Police Service is urging parents and guardians to have high school students go straight home from school today [June 18], saying that they are being proactive based on information received and are “operating in an abundance of caution.”
Police Media Manager Dwayne Caines said, “Police are advising parents and guardians of students at CedarBridge and Berkeley to have students go straight home. This is the result of information received. Police are being proactive and will be on hand to deal with any anti-social behaviour if it should arise.”
When asked if this has anything to do with this morning’s incident, Mr Caines said “absolutely not.”
Update 12.26pm: CedarBridge administration said they have only 10 students on site doing final exams today, and said there were no incidents on campus this week. They also added that there is a Data Fair in progress where members of the Department of Education and school personnel have been invited to attend.
Update 12.50pm: Berkeley administration said, “The Berkeley Institute has not closed for the day. There are more than 200 students scheduled to sit exams this afternoon. These students will be dismissed at 3:05pm according to the exam schedule. The only students who should not be on campus, and who would be expected to go home, are those who are not sitting exams.”
Update 1.35pm: The police said that a “number of reported fights” between students from both schools apparently took place earlier today in Hamilton.
A police spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Police Service is requesting that students from both Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy go directly home after their exams today.
“We recognize both schools are now under an exam schedule and a number of students may not be in school; however we are acting in an abundance of caution after a number of reported fights between students from both schools apparently took place earlier today around the City of Hamilton. We believe this proactive step will curb any further incidents.
“Meanwhile the police Community Action Teams have been liaising with both schools to determine the best way forward for the rest of the school year.”
Update 5.36pm: The Ministry of Education said, “The Ministry of Education has been made aware of a brief altercation at around mid-day involving approximately a dozen students after exiting exam sessions at The Berkeley Institute.
“The incident, which lasted a few minutes, was ended through intervention by school officials and security staff.
“Exercising an abundance of caution, the school assisted some students who had completed school activities for the day, with transportation to the Hamilton bus terminal. Bermuda Public Secondary Schools students at the senior school level were today completing end of year exams. Other students completing afternoon examinations at Berkeley continued without incident.
“At CedarBridge Academy, there were no altercations or disruptions and students completed exams as per normal. Reports of early school closures are erroneous.”
Well come on BPS. I think the parents deserve a little more information then just advise children to go straight home.
Its gonna be a HOT, HOT summer.
SO you are in high school?
You sound almost gleeful that children are fighting. How about being a bit more mature
You’re so cliche
If the police are doing something unusual like this, I for one need no further explanations.It will come in time, I’m sure, but my first priority is the safety of my little darlings
why would you want your child loitering around town anyway? I doubt BPS would make a statement like this if it wasn’t warranted – they aren’t just sitting around trying to see how they can piss you off
I used to do that.
I think the Parents should teach their children to behave… This is ridiculous…..
It’s not always the parents’ fault. Amazing how some kids totally misbehave when around their friends. It’s called peer pressure FYI. By the way, there have been incidents of unprovoked attacks. You could be totally innocent and have someone attack you just because they don’t like you.
Dark Knight, you may want a comma in that 1st sentence. Unless you were being that rude/graphic intentionally.
how much more information do you need? The police said children were fighting in the morning. In order to prevent them from finishing what theybstartedbthey are told to go straight home. It is that simple, don’t make something out of nothing.
in my day we all went straight home we did not hang about in town
parents should make their children go home every day
Why don’t the police be proactive an go to the schools and do an assembly right before school lets out to remind them of the behavior that’s expected.
Sending them directly home after school only keeps the issue out of Hamilton, but the kids will probably meet somewhere else to fight/cause ruckus.
Exactly!
Parents deserve a little more info than that. If anything this is putting the students at more danger then a lock down &/ search….
I could be wrong….
Really appreciate the updating Bernews & BPS.
Now, isn’t that the job of the parents to do.. to make sure their children know what is expected of them at home AND in the public??
My sentiments exactly! Why is it everyone else’s responsibility other than their damn parents to direct these kids on how to act right! WTH – These kids are out of control because of lack of parenting.
This is the best comment by far… Its not up to the schools, the police, or anyone other than the “parents” to make their children behave appropriately…. Problem is way too many just do not parent … rely on the government, the teacher and the police…. SAD!
Right, because you were perfect angels outside of your parent’s reach. Having a talk from actual police is easier to scare them straight.
Yes parents should, but don’t assume that all parents do or don’t. Parents don’t always know what their kids are up to (duh). If the police are aware of something and are doing something of a warning, why not confront the situation at the root?
Clearly Unreal has lived a perfect life.
This is deeply concerning. Please, everyone take good care.
They should still be in school. Schools should keep them until 3:30pm. School ends June 25th Thursday. Crazy how they have to be out of school anyway.
i so agree with you, all schools from primary up to high school should remain in school till the very last day. these kids are being given to much freedom.
“Police are advising parents and guardians of students at CedarBridge and Berkeley to have students go straight home.”
What about the other schools in town? BHS, Saltus, MSA? Why aren’t these students being urged to go straight home as well?
Why is the focus on CedarBridge and Berkeley students?
Say it ain’t so….
Because they [Berkeley and CBA students] (some) don’t know how to act right. You can’t act like hooligans and wear a BHS, Saltus or MSA uniform. They will not be disappointing their (paying) parents and risk getting expelled. There are negative consequences upheld at those schools.
Unfortunately for some B.I. and CBA students, they don’t have that fear or concern. Bad seeds always produce bad fruit! and make the news
Exactly. There was a private school girl involved in a fight in town some years back, she was identified and guess what, she was expelled from the school. How often does that happen at Berkley and Cedarbridge? I’ll wait..
Interesting statements here . . .B.I and CBA are PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!! They don’t have the “luxury” of expelling kids like the private school does.
I wonder where that young lady mentioned above went to school when she got put out of her private school?
The other schools don’t have behaviour problems.
“The other schools don’t have behaviour problems” you said – - really? This is shows a serious disconnect with reality in this country. The only different between the two schools in the story and those mentioned by Really?Really! is this – - – those schools are better at hiding their crap than Berkeley and CBA. There is more …… and just plain rude behaviour in those schools than at Berkeley and CBA – truth.
Know that all schools has issues and problems – - we just like to focus on the public schools so we have something or someone to blame – just in case.
The Truth
Did you even read the story?
Because like it or not, it’s not the private school kids who are in town fighting in parks and at the bus terminal.
Ummmmmm… Maybe becasue those kids are not running around fighting in public………. and they are on Private school schedules…. What a ridiculous statment….
Saltus has sent an email out to say all Saltus kids are also to go straight home or remain at school in supervised after school care until parents can collect.
Private schools emailed parents saying please pick up your kids after school and keep them out of town.
What is wrong with us that you have to question everything. There used to be a time when we respected authority and asked questions afterwards.
Good sheep, keep following that crowd blindly.
Bad sheep, keep following the crowd with ya eyes wide open! Who’s in denial now? Some adults and kids alike can’t tell the damn difference between right and wrong these days
People have the right to ask questions. What is the point of warning students to beware of the unknown? If somebody is cooking up some anti-social plans, some more information would be helpful.
Think of it this way, Ms. Smith. Suppose the police had information that a sex offender was planning an assault on a woman on her way home from work. They then make an appeal for all women to go straight home from work, don’t stop anywhere. Wouldn’t it cause more anxiety wondering why? All sorts of things would be running through your mind. However, if you had details on what was being planned, you would have better confidence and awareness of how to protect yourself.
I agree this information is too vague, but at least they’ve given the students a heads up…somewhat.
They are sending out this message because the “children” are in Hamilton fighting already…. what an analogy to use… If there was a sex predator this would have been referenced…. they referenced fighting and must have received word of potential incidents of anti-social behaviour and are “operating in an abundance of caution.” The children should be at home anyway —- Parents are just not Parents…… They should not have even had to put this information out if the parents were doiong their JOBS and handling their responsibilities!!!
@ Unreal I wasn’t trying to insinuate that there was a sex maniac on the loose. My point was that sending out vague warnings serve no purpose if you don’t know what you’re being warned to avoid. If the children are fighting, then why not just come out and say it. My niece had a dental appointment after school, and my sister called scared and wondering if she should cancel it. You know how Bermuda is, the rumor mill was already churning out stories of a potential shooting. Sometimes children have legit reasons not to go straight home, you sound stupid saying they should all be at home anyway. Sometimes it just isn’t possible for one reason or another.
Are you kidding Don’t question authority IS that what you teach your kids?
There are some cases I the court now that make it wise to question authority figures because they are not all worth respecting
I don’t think we should be criticising the police service. They’ve issued a warning and I”m sure based on that they will be patrolling this afternoon.
It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.
Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. Albert Einstein
I don’t think the issue is questioning authority. It’s more to do with the vagueness and the fact that this is unprecedented. One would think that just a little bit more information should be forhcoming. Are you saying parents don’t have the right to respectfully question authorities when they make decisions so vaguely as this?
I think if we as parents,can have reasonable responsible adults in our government take into consideration that their brilliant predecessors created this mess to begin with, and all due to a bunch of idiots that has everything from associate degrees to their doctored, and not a lick of sense between their ears. oh for de record vere going all de vay back to The U.B.P up shru de P.L.P, and now the Obstacle Ball Association, O.B.A, and the clowns still not getting it right, that is why Mr. Scott is making descions that wont work either as edumacation min na sta, see even i learnved a livvle eng ga lish and gamma
I say don’t flog de chillen , take de leaders down to ducking stool and duck em an dden flog em. dem byes just damn stupid. and tell me um ig nor ant
For the record my adult children, and my two school age children and grandchildren read Bernews, so let me make a respectful comment to them, if in the event they the two in school or my grands decide they want to be in public at anytime, and show out, we are not the group that say time out, and you will not perform and throw tantrums in public or private.
AS your beloved father, yes you know what I am about to say, don’t let my 8 1/2 foot have to go were the sun don’t shine, and don’t let me have to rip you a whole new ox, so if the adult children can speak they will tell you the most favorite, my dad past down his dad’s legacy, God has a lot of work to do, so he has taken me on as his agent, we helped his plan to bring you in and you know the rest.
seriously a good cut ox kept our ox’s from being in a whole lot of mess but it also helped us respect others.
Good Father / Grandfather you are!
So you base your assumption that he’s a good father by some words on a page? Good fathers don’t need to make threats about kicking a** to get their kids to co-operate!
Obviously, things have changed (alot) since I lived in Bermuda in the 1980′s and since my last visit in 2009. So sad…
Roberta, what are you talking about? Berkeley and Cedarbridge have had fights after school since 1998. This isn’t the first time that a warning has been given. Kids try to fight and adults thwart their plans. FYI, many things have changed since the 80s.
I remember “back in the day” that they would let us out of school early because the last day of school was infamous for major clashes that had been brewing all year. That was in the seventies, so this is definitely nothing new.
60% of Bermudians fail highschool, but that is not a private school figure of course. With such record of failure and such barbaric attitudes amongst the youth, what is Bermuda’s future going to be made of?
Somewhere over the rainbow? Look hard with your binoculars because the chance is fleeting away quickly like a scared rabbit.
Where did you get that from? 60% seriously! Was that made public by the minister or something. Just curious.
This sounds good, but it is just not true. A very irresponsible figure.
shouldn’t you be working? Or are you one of those civil servants we don’t really need?
It’s the way they’re brought up. No idea at all how to behave.
What more do you all need to hear or read??? The article says there were fights in Hamilton earlier today. They are urging ALL students from the two Public Senior schools to stay away from Hamilton and go straight the devil home. Duh??? Common sense people. You know dam well that if they were fighting this morning the little brats are anxious to get back to Hamilton the fighting meeting place to resume the fight. Therefore the BPS is telling them don’t bother to restart the fight cause they be out in full force and that WE the PARENTS need to whatsapp our little BRATS and tell them to GO STRAIGHT THE DEVIL HOME!!!!!! You get it NOW!!!!????
BEFORE you try to be smart, these comments were posted before the article was updated to let us know about the fights. DUH. Common sense..Clearly not everything was posted at the same time hence the “Update and time” next to the statements.
@Bored the story has been updated, duh!!!
“How the Seniors are Treated and the Youth Behave”
No better measure of the health (or in this case disease) of a nation.
Children should go straight home after school each time. There is no need for them to hang around town. We as parents have to take responsibility to ensure that they do.
Meanwhile not all students are involved in negative behaviours, some students actually want to go grab a bite afterwards, so we shouldn’t have to “go straight home” and suffer because a handful of immature students want to act the fool.
How bout those children who come town to be at their parents job because the parents do not want them at home by themselves where lord knows what mischief they can get into.
This is so true… unfortunately, it goes back to the rotten apple that spoils the whole barrel… If parents took their responsibility seriously as yours apparently did we would not have this issue.
I agree. Some students may go get a bite to eat, some go to work at marketplace packing groceries. Everybody has something to do. We just need to know that leaving school early because of exams is a privilege, NOT a necessity. Dont act the fool and make everyone else suffer. Act ya age, not the grade in which you failed your exam by…
Thank you!! Some also have appointments or other legitimate reasons to go into the city, but according to some people they should ALL be banned.
well i’m sure you’ve heard that, “the innocent will suffer for the guilty” yes??…as for going to grab a bite after school…forget that , go home and start the “family’s” meal so that the “family” can sit and talk about their day…when you’ve graduated(school) into “young adults”, then you can start your own social life with your core values already in place(a mirrored image of your parents)…you would be given the freedom of choice to do whats right or wrong. Just remember…your group are referred to as “School Children”.if under 18 i think.
The children are wrong for this and im not going to make a excuse but its alot of struggling families right now the children can’t get jobs the parents get jobs so the youth are acting out and it’s just the reality of it people who’s parents have a degree have been made redundant and every one keeps turning a blind eye to all and expect things to get better. I have a friend who applied for a whole year and didn’t get and had a degree she had alil gurl and was struggling she had a job but unfortunately the job was made redundant so my question is what do you want parents to do all the private school children don’t have to hear every day mom what’s for dinner because theirs are already planned they ain’t struggling
You’re correct. If things aren’t right at home, you’re sure to see behavior problems in children. Who knows what some kids are going through at home.
Teach a sense of nationhood in all Bermuda’s schools and thereby forge a common Bermudian identity and do this from preschool on up.
That won’t do it. It’s called positive parenting.
It’s nonexistent parenting Alvin.
I am so sick of these young punks acting in this way. Take the Bermuda regiment, turn it into a military school for misbehaved children and give them some disapline. Make them live there until they get their act together. Put the tax payers money to good use!!! Maybe then these kids will have a chance in life.
I am a disgusted Bermudian The bad apples seem to think it a right of passage or something. They would be the first to run like a scared rabbit if the tables were turned and they had to Man or Woman up. Plus it seems to be an annual thing as schools break for summer so why the surprise when counter measures ( and I applaud the police for their initial action) could have been pre staged. Why let them all out at the same time to congregate at the same place. A LARGE POLICE PRESENCE ( and perhaps military) needed at potential hot spots which intelligence would certainly know about.
I never understood why school gets out an hour and a half before most people finish work. Gives students lots of time to get into all sorts of trouble!
not if they’re disciplined.
I truly believe we need as parents without waiting for things like this to be happening to make sure are children know the rules of home to school and school to home. We all know that back in the day we would of all been dealt with by some kind of family member. We need to make sure there are no idle minds wondering around getting into mischief. Berkley and Cedar bridge kids have been fighting ever since cedar bridge was created. This is nothing new. Instead of worrying about the police warning we need to make sure we all take care of our own. If we do that we wont have this kind of stupidity going on in town.
School students need not hang out at the bus terminal because it is simply a waste of time. Parents should have their kids in extra-curricula activities after school and/or should ensure their kids are studying and completing their assignments. I guarantee those students that spend countless ours hanging out at the bus terminal are not reaching their potential in school. Kids are a reflection of parenting and parental expectations.
ahhhh…why are we so judgmental in assuming that these young people have “bad” parents??? wasn’t a young man just found guilty of possession of guns? AND BOTH HIS PARENTS WERE PASTORS….we Bermudians love to run our big mouths like we know everything. ..how about this…..it takes a village to raise a child…..WE, YES YOU AND I, ARE THE VILLAGE…next time you see a young person acting the fool, DO SOMETHING….don’t just “talk the talk, but walk the walk”. .-peace
btw ..I have no idea who these kids are that are involved in this foolishness today…but they clearly need OUR help….-peace
Parents need to start parenting. That’s the bottom line. Set rules standards or even chores at home. N yes they better be done by the time u get home n also that home work or whatever else that needs to be done.. it’s all what parents allow. come on some of you really need to think about what you are saying. Why do u allow your child to stay in town after school? To grab a bit to eat???WTH r u serious go home make a sandwich. We spoil them but don’t want to desipline n put down some rules.. If it’s not for appointments they need to go home. That’s y these children think they r so grown because parents put them on the same level as them..
Such a shame how children r being raised these days n we wonder y.