Two days before Wednesday's horrifying video that has once again shone a spotlight on the high levels of violence taking place among the territory’s youth, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. said there was no need for a coordinated, multi-agency, cabinet-level response to the growing issue of student violence when asked about the matter on Monday. “Our cabinet meetings are mostly focused on major items like Medicaid shortages, budget shortages,” he told Consortium journalists during the Government House weekly press briefing on Monday. “I’m sure the Commissioner of Education is addressing that. If she felt it needed to rise to my level, she would have brought it to my attention."
The shocking footage emerged of students from the St. Croix Central High School assaulting a school bus driver. The man is seen on the floor of the school bus while several students are seen punching the driver in the head, and kicking him in the back. The man, overwhelmed by numbers, offers little resistance to the onslaught as other students scream for the attackers to stop.
Ultimately, the man had to be rushed to the Juan F. Luis Hospital for medical care, and the V.I. Department of Education says the students involved could face felony charges and possible expulsion for the Level 4 infraction. Three students have already been arrested following the incident, which also resulted in considerable damage to the bus.
The latest example of violence by children comes after multiple videos circulated last week, showing students of the Charlotte Amalie High School engaged in a series of fights, at least one of which occurred on a public roadway.
The Virgin Islands Board of Education says the community “cannot allow such behavior to become normalized or overlooked,” and that the incidents “reflect a broader issue of respect and accountability among our students.”
VIDE says that the department is actively working to address recent incidents of inappropriate student behavior on buses, as they are increasingly concerned about safety. That concern has been expressed since at least 2022, when officials appealed to parents to help curb rising violent behavior in children. The Board of Education also called on parents to “take responsibility for the child’s behavior, ensuring accountability both at home and in school.”
A report at the beginning of this year showed a 22% rise in violent crimes among slightly older youth aged 16-24 who are neither in school nor employed.
