Romone Boodoo, a nine-year old second year student of Rousillac Hindu Primary, had his world turned upside down when a teacher at the school beat him with a piece of PVC pipe.
Boodoo, of Matterson Street, La Brea, was hit twice on each shoulder by a female teacher because he left his desk and went to retrieve his pencil from a boy who had taken it.
His parents claimed he was hit so hard a medical report from the La Brea Health Centre described the damage as “soft tissue injury.”
The parents intend to take the matter to court and a report was already sent to the Ministry of Education which is looking into. Other sources said parents have been complaining about the aggressive attitude of the teacher who reportedly pulled another small child by the hair last week.
“She had that piece of PVC as a prop in the classroom but would use it for beating. Other children said they got licks with it.”
Boodoo’s distraught mother, Denecia Boodoo, said her son came through the door of their home on May 25 crying and saying he had a bad day.
“He told me what happened and when I saw his shoulders they were swollen badly.”
She said through the school, a social worker and a school supervisor got involved in the matter.
“They talked to my son and other children in the class and found out Romone was not aggressive or anything when he went to get his pencil. In fact, the other children said he was crying because the boy did not want to give it to him at first.”
Denecia said she took photographs of her child’s injury, reported the matter to the La Brea Police Station that same afternoon and the following morning took him to the La Brea Health Centre.
Denecia said Romone is so traumatised by the incident that he no longer wants to go to school. “He is scared of the teacher and is very uncomfortable in the school. He is very discouraged right now about school. He used to be so excited.”
Romone’s little world changed when the principal, upon request by his father, Roger Boodoo, transferred him to the Standard One class.
Denecia said Romone misses his friends from his class and has to wait until recess and lunch time to see them.
There are more changes coming for him. His parents have already gotten him transferred to Vance River RC in La Brea. “This school told me I could bring Romone even now but he has test projects to finish at Rousillac Hindu.”
Denecia said she and her husband intend to take legal action against the teacher. “We are not looking for compensation or anything. We don’t need that. We just want justice.
“We have nothing against the school itself either. We just want to deal with the teacher on an individual level.”
School officials said they were unable to comment but sources there told the T&T Guardian reports on the matter are already with the Education Ministry.
