ST. CROIX — Caleave Mascall Jr., the only adult arrested following Wednesday's violent assault aboard a St. Croix school bus, will remain in custody following his advice of rights held Thursday morning.
According to documents filed with the court, Mascall began the assault against the bus driver, before being joined by two other students of the St. Croix Central High School who are reportedly siblings. The violent attack left the bus driver requiring urgent medical attention and the bus itself damaged.
It was the mother of the two minor students who reportedly alerted the police of the assault, claiming that it was her children, along with Mascall, who had been assaulted. When questioned by police, Mascall reportedly admitted that the students were the aggressors.
Judge Jessica Gallivan found probable cause to uphold the charges against Mascall — third-degree assault, damaging or tampering with a vehicle, and disturbance of the peace. Judge Gallivan maintained bail at $25,000, which Mascall has reportedly been unable to post as of press time.
The incident, which shocked the USVI community, has led to calls from the V.I. Dept. of Education, the V.I. Board of Education, and the V.I. Police Department for parents to better manage their children. VIDE said parents should have serious conversations with their children about proper conduct and respect while using school transportation. "School bus transportation is a privilege, and it is the expectation of the VIDE that students abide by the rules and exhibit proper behavior when using these services," the department said.
Mugshot of 18-year-old Caleave Nigel Mascall (Credit: The Virgin Islands Police Department)
"Parents must take responsibility for the child's behavior, ensuring accountability both at home and in school. Active involvement from both sides fosters better development and a respectful learning environment," the V.I. Board of Education said in a statement issued Wednesday evening. "Students must take responsibility for their behavior in school, understanding that their actions impact both their learning and the school community. Personal accountability is key to their growth and success. It is crucial that we take this moment to pause and reflect on our collective responsibility to instill values of respect, empathy, and cooperation in our students. We cannot allow such behavior to become normalized or dismissed as a minor issue."
St. Croix Police Chief Sean Santos also saw the need for more prudent parenting. "I plead to the parents of the Virgin Islands community to pay attention to your young ones, our children, to ensure that these situations do not occur anymore, including violent acts against their peers within the schools," he urged.
Senator Donna Frett-Gregory admonished that, “We have to instill in our children a way to resolve conflict without resorting to violence. There must be a better way. This cannot remain our new normal. Students must learn to treat one another and adults working within the school system with respect. We must also teach our children to break the stigma associated with reporting violence to teachers and other authorities."
Governor Albert Bryan Jr., who hasn't commented on the incident, told the Consortium on Monday that there was no need for a coordinated, multi-agency, cabinet-level response to the growing issue of student violence. His comments were in response to a question posed by the Consortium during the administration's weekly press briefing on the matter of violence in schools. “Our cabinet meetings are mostly focused on major items like Medicaid shortages, budget shortages,” he said. “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."
