Allegations of sexual harassment rock BVI school; investigations against teachers underway

On Friday, the British Virgin Islands' Department of Education, Youth and Sport attempted to clarify the situation. In a brief two-paragraph press release, the department said only that officials were “aware of a serious allegation involving a teacher and a student.”

While the ministry declined to name the school in question or the accused teacher, it assured the public that it was “following due process involving the Royal Virgin Islands Police, the Ministry of Social Development and the Teaching Service Commission.”

“While the investigation is ongoing, the ministry said measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the school community.” What these measures are were not revealed in the press release.”

Reporting from a local news channel 284 media states that the teacher is still at the school despite an extraordinary staff meeting at ESHS.

The question of how authorities respond to allegations of sexual harassment of minors by authority figures in the public school system was recently raised in the USVI by the Charges, conviction and sentence by Aflredo Bruce Smith, a longtime coach at Charlotte Amalie High School who is alleged to have abused several boys during his decades-long tenure at the institution. A subsequent report commissioned by government officials has revealed little who on the staff and school administration knew about the abuse and failed to report it as required by law.

Now the residents of the British Virgin Islands are grappling with similar questions while the response to these serious allegations is still pending.