What was supposed to be an emergency school safety drill at Springer Memorial Secondary School on Wednesday morning went horribly wrong, traumatizing several students and sparking outrage and debate that turned into a political controversy by the end of the day, pitting educators and parent activists on opposing sides.
Masked men wielding fake firearms and machetes invaded the Government Hill, St Michael school as part of a simulation conducted in collaboration with the Barbados Police Service and the Barbados Defence Force.
The males allegedly walked from classroom to classroom, allegedly looking for someone.
Despite the fact that the school administration and teachers were aware of the drill, it became clear that the students and parents were not. Several pupils experienced panic and asthma attacks as a result of the incident, and others fainted. Many students were observed leaving the school in tears with their parents.
“Children were having seizures,” a senior-year student described the chaotic scene on the campus of the all-girls high school to Barbados TODAY. I understand that it has to happen at some point to prepare us for anything, but they took it too far. Men wearing ski masks, holding machetes and weapons. This is not acceptable behavior. “What if a child had a heart attack?”
Many parents arrived at the school to pick up their children after receiving phone calls from them.
Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, Chief Education Officer, acknowledged that the exercise caused some uncertainty, but she claimed the ministry sympathized with parents who feared their children were in danger.
The drill was carried out at the Government Hill, St Michael school in conjunction with the Barbados Police Service, the Barbados Defence Force and the Barbados Ambulance Service, to prepare the school body for any such occurrence.