Yesterday, you heard from a mother who claimed that her special needs son had been bullied out of school. He'd been attending Wesley Upper and was in standard six when he began telling his mother that he didn't want to go to school because he was being harassed by other students. He told us as well that the other kids called him names and physically hit him, and claimed that even his teacher made rude comments against him. His mother added that she was receiving no assistance from the school and had to pull her son out.
But today we spoke with the principal of Wesley Upper School, who flatly refuted these claims. Nicole Welch Middleton told us that they have been trying their best to work with Cameron with the little resources they have, but that he is constantly absent from school. She also explained that they have persistently pleaded with his mother to send him, but he misses weeks at a time.
Middleton then spoke about the particular incident with the schoolbag that his mother spoke about, and said that while it shouldn't have happened, Cameron was never physically hit like he claims.
Nicole Welch Middleton, Principal, Wesley Upper School
"I was dumbfounded when I saw the news. Ever since we got Cameron at Wesley Upper School it has been an uphill struggle with attendance. He misses a lot of school and our problem with the mother is trying to get him in school since standard 5. We at Wesley, we got Cameron in Standard 2, I believe from Stella Maris School. They said that he was ready to be re-integrated into the regular school system and so he was placed in standard 2. At the upper section where I am, we only have standard 4 to 6. Standard 4 we didn't get a physical experience because it was covid years. He came to standard 5. We did our utmost best to accommodate them, because we know about students with diverse abilities and we use the little resources that we have to try to help them in the best way that we know how to. We didn't have any of that trouble in standard 5. There were no reports on the parents about any bullying - nothing like that. Only regular classroom behaviour. When he comes to school, teacher would keep him back to try to get some activities completed, because we really don't know when we are going to see him again."
"We designed programs directly for him to try to help him, even though we do not have resources to do so or the skillset. So it's just basically teachers doing research and leaning on the counsellors help and guidance to try to deal with the family on a whole."
"In December she came to me and reported that there was an incident with Cameron and children are bullying Cameron and I ask her what is it, because I didn't know what she was talking about since the incident took place by Raccoon Street after school hours, so she explained to me that 2 boys beat up Cameron, grab Cameron bag and did all sorts of things to Cameron. So the story sounded really strange and I really had to launch an investigation immediately. Usually I would wait and then investigate, but I said no let me investigate immediately."
"So, I went to the class and I spoke to the boys. I brought the 2 boys into my office in front and Cameron and in front of his mom and I asked Cameron which one of them hit you. Cameron couldn't answer. So the boys said that they did grab his bag and we were running with his bag and he was chasing us and he tried to catch one of us, we threw the bag to the next person and threw it back and then a man on the street told them to return the bag to the child and they returned the bag to the child and they went home."
"At that moment, I knew she set up back like 20 years, because the boys turned to her and to Cameron and they told her you know what, Cameron we are not going to play with you anymore. We play with you, I help you with your school work, you come to my house, my mother did not want you at my house, I come out and I play with you anyway. I talk to you and I be a friend to you and you bring your mom to the school at me and you know we were just playing, because you play with us like that and we play with you like that - as of today, I am not playing with you anymore"
"And that was the sentiments of both boys to Cameron and his parents."
She then added that they have had incidents where Cameron acted out indecently toward other students, and even the police had to get involved.
Nicole Welch Middleton, Principal, Wesley Upper School
"The mom came to my office in February again highlighting an incident that took place by St. John's Credit Union. She said some girls beat up Cameron by St. John's Credit Union and it was girls from our school. So I said you know what let me do an investigation immediately, because we have them here, she is a parent here, he is a child here and I have that responsibility to them, so I said let me launch an investigation immediately. So I brought in girls that I know who lives around the area. Low and behold, the girls were walking past Cameron's house, Cameron proceeded to pull down his pants at the girls and he was gyrating at the girls. The girls proceeded to respond with negative words of course and he turned around and he rear ended the girls and the girls left. I don't know if his mom sent him to buy or how he got on the street, but he went on the street and he went by St. John's Credit Union and he and the girls had some exchanges and that led to a fight. So which one of my girls did that. One of my girls was present, but it was children from Natius, like neighbourhood kids. So that is out of my control, so I told the parent well the best thing for you to deal with this is through the community police."
"She also brought up that the teacher called Cameron an old man and she is tired of teaching old man, I think the exact words were. That's what she reported to me. That is way out of character for that teacher. The teacher that he has who has been his teacher for 2 years, so I called the teacher and the teacher said I said no such thing. So we ask Cameron when did the teacher say that to you?"
"I launched an investigation again, went to the class, I couldn't get any other student to say well teacher said this or anything negative at that time. But what he was referring to is the fact that he was again in class following up his sexual tendencies, gyrating and telling students what he does in his house at night, which is totally and completely inappropriate and so the teacher brought him to me and the teacher said mis he is acting like a big man, I teach children and then she expressed the sexual behaviour that he was carrying on with in the class."
"At no time did I excuse him from school. At no time did she come to me and say miss in the class they are hitting him in his head. I learnt that on the news and I still can't verify it, because it didn't happened. And if it did happen, it did not happen here on our compound."
