Inclusive Summer Camp Culture

Magen's Bay Beach, U.S Virgin Islands

Inclusive Summer Camp Culture

This summer I had the opportunity to work with a local summer camp done through a local church on Magen's Bay beach on the island of St. Thomas. Your probably wondering isn't this normal as a teacher for me to work at a summer camp or with a likewise program; your probably correct as I normally do, but this one was different. This camp was completely inclusive of children regardless of their developmental delays, disabilities, or economic status; simply put it was amazing!

As a mother and teacher I have not seen any programs that encourage and incorporate inclusiveness for all at this level in any setting. All students were given equal opportunities and activities with the option of opting out for an alternate socially motivated activity. The environment was like a utopia rather than a summer camp. Teasing, bullying, and impatience were practically nonexistent ( as most of us know there's always that one or those few that have to ruin a good thing). The most exhilarating thing for me as a teacher and parent was that even in those rare moments when  a moment may arise the youths, adolescents came to the rescue and aid of their peers recognizing that they are all in camp as one group of all of God's children.

Every time I witnessed these glorious acts that made my heart smile I wondered why was it so hard for all children to understand and empathize as these children had and come to a consensus? Why was the world at large so behind, not mention the little ole island of St. Thomas? I came to one conclusion, our culture.

Culture is derived through the experiences of norms and values held within a society and in the Virgin Islands, we have the 'solid as a rock' mentality. We condition our children to be "hard" and tough inadvertently making them unsympathetic and unable to empathize with others.  As adults and parents we are guilty of the same mistakes accusing parents of not "training" their children and that they need "blows" (corporal punishment) when truthfully we just don't believe that everyone and child is different and most of them can't help their actions.

My fellow Virgin Islands, parents, professionals; by brothers and sisters please let us change this part of our culture and recognize the need for empathy in this world for those who need it and the rest that sincerely deserve it. Children and adults with special needs did not make the choice to do things differently; they actually had no choice.


The views expressed within this blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the youths of the U. S Virgin Islands visit https://www.usviearlychildhoodlearning.blogspot.com . For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Extra Curricula Activities since IrmaMaria.

Ignorance Is NOT Bliss

I would like to begin this post by first stating that I am an original U.S Virgin Islander, straight out of Savan for at least the last four generations!

Now I would like to state that I am an Autism parent, and damn

 proud of my son for being whom he is all day, every day without remorse.

With these things being said, I need to state just how bad I feel right now to be a U.S Virgin Islander withstanding the fact that we all have been affected some way and going through some thing since hurricanes Irma and Maria. To ALL my fellow Virgin Islanders I sincerely feel the need to state something; #1 being WE WERE ALL AFFECTED, NOT ONLY YOU! I meet a lot of people that seem to think they had it worse than anyone else, ever; child please! We’ve all had trying tribulations in life, your most recent endeavor does NOT give you the right to antagonize others. Secondly, the hurricane is not an excuse for ANYONE, to play ignorant; especially those with financial resources.

I am sorry I wasn’t aware is not going to fly for those of you with positions of power, influence, nor authority including Browine (or A. Ottley of WSTA 1340 a.m. radio). My personal reasons why they CANNOT get a pass is because mental health is not new so they directly were not paying attention (especially when ASD and ADHD is ever-creasing, more rampant than it has ever been in the history of the world). That along with the fact that my son is five years old and I have called WSTA several times to request information regarding services for developmentally delayed and special needs children only to be met with disrespect and disdain each time.

The first time was before hurricanes Irma and Maria to request an on air/ live opportunity to request anyone catering to these disadvantaged youths to call in or leave information so I can find services for my toddler at the time so I could continue work and finish school. In my thirty years of life I have NEVER EVER called that radio station and gotten a negative response until asked about the most disadvantaged youths in the U.S.V.I.  The embarrassment didn’t stop there as my grandmother is such a fan that she continued to encourage me to use the radio station as an outlet for help. So after hurricanes Irma and Maria I called three times; the first to ask if they could request to public school officials that called in daily ( if you listened during this time you would empathize) to discuss options for special needs children if there were any. The response I was met with was ‘Ms. I ain’t asking nobody to do nothing; if they had something to say they would’ve said it (that was Brownie). Then I asked Ottley if he could ask the commissioner, of whom was calling every day and recently on the phone discussing Lockhart Elementary (my son’s school) if she could elaborate on the progress, if there was any, on special needs classrooms. His response was, “NO!” Then he stated “Ms. I don’t work for department of education!” The final straw was last month when my son ( diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, and an undiagnosed seizure disorder) was in R.L.S. hospital and I called crying frantically for someone to put a plea on the radio so that a pediatric nurse would hear to come to the hospital to assist as there were none and the ending result was my son having to wait nine (9) consecutive hours from morning to get his blood drawn properly (apparently its harder to draw blood from kids than adults, I heard the veins are smaller so some have the gift while others end up spilling blood to no avail like the nurses in the ER handling my son that day). But the response from the woman answering the telephone was “We don’t get into that politics!”

What I still find funny is from habit and through my mother and grandmother I still listen to WSTA daily, regardless. Imagine my dismay to learn that some woman in the Natural food grocery FINALLLY enlightened one of them only after he tried to call her a bad mother because she couldn’t control her son’s tantrum BUT as a fan she followed him out to the parking lot, by his car, to explain Autism. Excuse me if I’m NOT surprised nor do I feel relief.

To my fellow U.S Virgin Islanders I would like to say ‘Ignorance is not bliss, nor is it an excuse; elevate yourself and your mind through ACCEPTANCE in its purist form’.

The views expressed within this blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations.

Extra-Curricular Activities since Irma; Why They Are Needed

Extra-Curricular Activities since Irma; Why They Are Needed

As a community our territory has been through a tremendous ordeal. Two category five hurricanes have made life as we knew it impossible to return to as almost everything has changed. With change comes the good and the bad as we all know; the good part is that we get to rebuild. It is a chance for change, to learn from our countless mistakes, to push forward, and a time for atonement. The bad part is the restoration phase and the inconveniences that we all have to suffer in order to make our futures brighter. One such inconvenience is the lack of extra curricula activities and adequate after school enrichment programs to sustain the new half day of school that we have adopted to ensure the needs of all are met.

 These half days of school are very strenuous on families and make it hard for parents, as well as students to actively participate in various ways. Yes, parents are allotted two hours a month to check in with their child’s teachers and schools, but many parents have more than one child and two hours may not be enough. Transportation and number of children should be taken into account as well as the needs of the child or children in question. Parents of students with delays or disabilities need to actively participate to learn routines and techniques to attribute to their child’s development. This too is true of students who exhibit challenging behavior due to emotional trauma/stress, parents need to be involved to ensure resilience is built upon with a support system; in this case the home and school community.

Every child on this island or in the territory at the times of hurricanes Irma and Maria have suffered a traumatic experience that WILL stay with them throughout their lives. When you really think of the ordeal we have faced as a community it must have been extra hard on the children. They did not have prior knowledge and experience that came with past hurricanes to mentally prepare for the storm (I got my experience with Marilyn and those after and still was in shock and dismay).

Every outlet for recreation that still exists has been ‘modified’ somehow leaving nothing much to help the youths cope. This is the time when we need those “Big Brother” enrichment programs to detour youths and adolescents from participating and engaging in self destructive behavior which can become the beginning of the path to becoming the next degenerate on the street corner.

The views expressed within this blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the youths of the U. S Virgin Islands visit https://www.usviearlychildhoodlearning.blogspot.com . For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Curricula Standards & Benchmarks

Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

    In a season that usually celebrates promotional exercises and vacations I have grown fond of watching the endless pictures of graduations from preschool to college. I can't speak for everyone else but it makes me reminisce on adolescent memories, lost opportunities and life-long lessons! As I scroll through my news feeds and read the paper during this season I sometimes feel a sense of pride recognizing my career choice does matter ( even though I get horrible hours, make minimum wage, and am constantly ridiculed). Today I was stripped of such after reading Facebook posts about adolescent twin boys ( from St. Croix) that will not be able to participate in their graduation. While this was completely their own faults and choice according to reports by the associated press I'm shocked at the stance many have taken with regards to the consequences set forth by the U.S Virgin Islands Department of Education.

     Parents and teachers alike spent time coaching, training, and teaching adolescents to become responsible citizens that can contribute to our society beginning from the early years. We have become a society that makes excuses for our children rather than letting them learn.

    While it is sincerely terrible that these young men, the epitome of many of our young men, will be deprived of this epic opportunity they were given a choice and they had to choose what was best for their futures. It was all their choices from beginning to end.

    Just like the world we live in today everyone has to face the consequences of their actions. While the circumstances are unfortunate these young men have just received a life lesson they will never forget.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Curricula Standards & Benchmarks

Virgin Islands Character; What Once Was

Virgin Islands Character; What Once Was

As a child growing up  in the Virgin Islands I was afforded opportunities to observe the inner workings  social or extra curricula activities within the territory and their benefits. I recognized that all pageants, leagues and institutional organizations all had one thing in common;  they facilitated opportunities for adolescents to obtain and build character building skills which can help them with personal growth. Basketball and baseball leagues valued character. All students had to be in good standing within their various school communities This also provided opportunities f or children without privilege to learn and develop character building traits necessary to become productive members of society. To build habits like punctuality, dressing formal, taking pride in their appearance and work ( school or work whatever that maybe).

Young men once had ample opportunities to build character and integrity, learning the many other ways to earn respect but most importantly they learned respect for themselves. Young girls were too given ample opportunities to learn how to become ladies, and shine equally amongst their adolescent peers through various sports and organizations regardless of gender. Their opportunities facilitated hope for other young girls within the territory as well as illustrated to member of our society the importance of such organizations. But the lack of consideration for many of these character building traits leaves adolescents and parents with a lack of appreciation for these traits and our schools with the ethical dilemmas of how to proceed. Do they bother to solve it at all? How can teachers and administrators within the institution of education help foster skills that should have been introduced and reinforced at home first?

Sincerely, I don’t think they can without meaningful parental involvement and collaboration between families and the school. Calling and texting a teacher is a form of informal communication that can be very beneficial in many areas but it is not enough. Waiting until report cards are issued to buckle down on studies does not work, more importantly my fellow parents making excuses for you child does not work (even if you’re the excuse!). It is time to reteach to our children through role modeling everyday how to be responsible and take responsibility for their actions. Admit that it is your fault and work to find ways to rectify it through collaborating with teachers or the administration; extra credit, or community service does attribute to their academic standing as well as character traits.

Rather than illustrating the ignorance that has become synonymous with our citizens in recent generations. Solidarity and integrity have always been vital components of our culture;  Virgin Islanders lets make it a priority to embrace our own traditions rather than reforming to those of our national neighbors.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student

Curriculum Choices

Curriculum Choices

Curriculum choice largely rely on the pedagogy of administrators and leaders within the community, since these leaders and officials are supposed to represent their communities and respective districts, but they often don’t. Most cases where curriculum choices actually mirror that of the immediate community or citizen of who utilize the schools in which they are implemented are the more affluent communities within our country. Curriculum choices should reflect the needs and views of the citizen which participate in the institution. Special needs, disabilities, culture, developmentally appropriate practices, and collaboration with families/community are all pertinent aspects to consider when making and implementing curriculum choices. While developmentally appropriate practice is necessary and pertinent to all grade levels and learners it is especially pertinent to early learners to provide concrete, foundational skills, and open a regular line of communication to build mutual understanding and consistency for children and parents to progress on. NAEYC states that the curriculum consists of knowledge and skills to be acquired in the educational program as well as the plans for experiences through which children learning can take place, for early learners this comes in the form of routines and experiences that will promote learning and development. Curriculum choices should consider and obtain goals, objectives, and resources that are best known practices. Familiarity with knowledge of skills and milestones across domains attribute to the enhancement of the experiences/ opportunities facilitated within the educational setting. 

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student

Do You Know the Curriculum, Standards or Benchmarks for Your Child?

Do You Know the Curriculum, Standards or Benchmarks for Your Child?

As a parent I believe we should be aware of our child’s educational settings and climate. This includes school policies, norms and values, of course its curriculum and the standards therein. Having an understanding of such builds an underlying foundation of knowledge that is necessary for the development of the whole individual child in any and every setting. Many parents and educators alike think knowledge of the curriculum and its standards are necessary, but if you took a closer look we can find exactly how they complement each other to the benefits of the development of the whole child rather than the parent or teacher.

As a teacher, have you ever had to;

ü  Explain developmental milestones and benchmarks

ü  Scoring rubrics for standardized tests

ü  The need for remedial classes, tutoring and counseling

If you have, it’s time for a change and you should offer resources to parents that can attribute to their understanding. Likewise, I’m sure parents too have heard concepts that they don’t fully understand.

As a parent have you ever heard;

ü  Not developmentally on level

ü  Developmentally delayed

ü  Below benchmarks and milestones associated with age

ü  Needs remedial classes, tutoring or counseling

If you have then you should familiarize yourself with the curriculum used, standards and benchmarks associated with your child, and as your child’s teacher of resources that you can utilize to further your understanding, knowing which curriculum your child’s school uses and sharing the standards/benchmarks associated can greatly benefit the teacher, parents, and the student; it can also initiate a great line of communication.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Simple Classroom Management Tips, Ethical Leaders Anyone? and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student

Learning Environments & Strategies

Learning Environments & Strategies

Jane E. Tuitt Elementary (My alma mater)

Learning environments should differ as we all have different norms, values, religions, and cultures. A developmentally appropriate learning environment should also illustrate aspects of all those included within the learning environment, which would primarily be its students. How many of us can truly say that the learning environment we have created for our students or even our children are sincerely tailored to suit their developmental levels, needs, and interests? I have seen classrooms that mirror all of the children and families connected with it, and unfortunately I have seen those that mirror prison cell walls (bland white with a few pictures scattered around the room). Classrooms that illustrate culture, facilitate developmentally appropriate practice through engaging activities and learning areas, and showcases content learned throughout different content areas are ideal learning environment and are necessary in this day and age.

The learning environment where I felt the most successful was in elementary school, specifically my intermediate classes. Unlike most I was lucky enough to have a great teacher twice as she switched from third grade to fifth just in time for my class. I would personally say that my reason for feeling the most successful within this learning environment is because the school collaborated with the community to ensure that many programs and initiatives were in place for students to engage in and interact with other students. Such initiatives included but weren’t limited to inter school/ neighborhood basketball leagues, essay writing competitions on various national and local initiatives (red ribbon/drug fee, laws of life, etc.), art competitions, and others alike. Other reasons I felt successful within this environment was because I it facilitated and encouraged reading in many ways; reading was used for extra credit points as well as a past time, which reinforced my love for reading cultivated at home.

If I had to label my prior learning environment where I had felt the most successful I would say that it would probably mirror the head starts now public standards as it was inclusive as well as diverse and learning objectives were primarily academic with some focus on collaborating with families and the community. Many times we assume that students are successful in academic so they are elsewhere also when they may need guidance, as an advocate for children it is a teachers’ job to ensure all needs are being met and do whatever possible to attribute to such; in many cases referrals to different agencies and organizations are greatly appreciated and helpful. I would create a classroom environment that is both engaging and learning friendly by creating learning stations within the classroom and in the outdoor areas that with facilitate opportunities of each child to grow at their own paces and explore their interests. In this respect my students will too be able to be engaged in their favorite past times while exploring their interests in the name of learning, because when children learn through play they learn to enjoy learning.

Back to School U. S Virgin Islands

Back to School U. S Virgin Islands

It’s that time of year again, back to school for all the students in the territory. Many will be attending new schools while a few may be attending school for the first time. If so, there are some things that should be done to ensure that policies are met and students are fully equip/ prepared to begin the new 2016-2017 school year. School does begin this year on September 8, 2016, but orientation for a number of school like Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Charlotte Amalie High School, and St. Croix Central High School are preparing for school through orientation, insurance, and I. D card issuances. For a listing of which schools in the U. S. Virgin Islands are commencing with orientation and other back to school necessities you can visit the U. S Virgin Islands Department of Education or contact the respective school ( a listing of the district’s schools and accompanying websites can be found on VIDE’s Edline page) of concern as most administrative personnel are still at work while others will be returning within the next week. During orientation many things will be discussed that can shape the school year for your child and family, this is why participation is necessary and equally important.

For all new students to the territory’s public school system, there are immunization requirements to be met as there are in most school districts at home and abroad (if not all). Some families or students may need to opt out for medical or religious purposes and that’s fine too, but they to need to submit formal notice of such prior to the beginning of school and prepare for lab work for the kids.

Other than the major requirements here are a few friendly reminders to help ease the transition from summer break back to school;

·         Summer assignments- Many schools have them, most require the completion of these summer assignment the first two to three weeks of school (if not sooner). You don’t want to wait until school begins to start a summer reading assignment with three books and essays to accompany each, when you should be focusing on the upcoming school year and what it has to offer.

o   The Governor’s Reading Challenge- All schools were invited to participate in the Governor’s Reading Challenge and many elected to use the challenge as a summer assignment as well. Books were provided to students at the end of the school year along with a listing of other books included in the challenge, a track sheet to keep track of the books read, and a questions/ writing prompt to aid in the comprehension of the required books.

·         All schools have a dress code, and while many of the territory’s public schools dress codes are similar you should still check with each institution to ensure accuracy

o   Shoes should be black or white (or both)

o   Skirts should be at knee length

o   Earrings should be no bigger than the size of a quarter

·         Bringing Your Own Device (BYOD)- This is a sincerely controversial issue in every state on the mainland, and in many schools public and private right here at home. The only way to ensure that you or your child are abiding by the school’s rules are to become familiar with them. Orientation is great help; it is an overview of what one needs to know of the upcoming school year as a parent. Orientation also attributes to the familiarity that many have with the rules, policies, and procedures that occur within a school; checking with each school and becoming familiar with their policies on BYOD is the only way to ensure that you and your child are adhering to the schools’ policies and prevent and repercussions (like having your device confiscated).  

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Simple Classroom Management Tips, Ethical Leaders Anyone? and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student

Congresswoman’s Daughter Was Victimized; Not Considered in Hacker's Actions

Congresswoman’s Daughter Was Victimized; Not Considered in Hacker's Actions

Normally I try not to blog about things that I feel personally about unless it is pertinent, like issues regarding education and educators within the U. S Virgin Islands and since it is summer I thought I would give myself a much needed break from the dual work that I have chosen to engage in to actually take the time to smell the roses (so to speak) but instead I cannot stop thinking about this ordeal about our delegate to congress and how her private family moments where hacked. I am also too sure that most of the reason why myself, along with others, cannot seem to ignore or let this atrocity die is because every major news outlet in the territory feels the need to update and rewrite articles already published to continually feed the masses. Well here is my major concern that I am sure no one else cares about (or at least seemingly) how do you all think that the child feels?

U. S Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett and her husband

The child that became a political pawn because she was having fun with her parents, something that many children within our territory do not have the comfort of and many of whom will never have those same luxuries; how do you think their child feels. How would you as a child feel after being used in your most vulnerable moments, exploited at such a young age, or do we think that because she is young she will get over it and may not fully understand the implications made? That is possible, but highly implausible as she is completely aware of her surrounding and developmentally progressing appropriately. So I ask again, why do we as a society, as a community, as Pulitzer prize winning newspapers, and editors in chief continually fan this fire and feed it? The negativity that looms over because of this cloud is a little heart wrenching to me because this could have been worse for all concerned including the child had it been deemed that the video was inappropriate and that she needed to be removed from her home, this too could be misconstrued by children as the school year is set to begin soon and we all know how children can be. This is my plea to everyone that has since obtained this video or any of the pictures leaked, delete them and denounce the nonsense that is taking over in our communities. This is not the first straw, I have heard many stories countless other women victimized in the same manner some were as young as teens and if we do not denounce it now it will continually grow. Let’s not wait until this come in the form of a suicide of a teen or young adult that couldn’t bear the pressure from sinister jokes; let us as a community not sit by and watch children become victims for their parent’s cause if we do can you truly say that you and your children will be safe in the next wave of attacks?

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Too Much Violence: USVI Shootings Near Preschools, USVI Shootings Near Preschool's 2, and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student 

How I Feel About Language Acquisition

My Beliefs Regarding Language Acquisition

I am almost certain that my beliefs about language acquisition are distorted by my own personal experiences, but I am also pretty sure that I am not the only one. During my tenure at Ashford I was afforded many opportunities in the form of resources. These resources have aiding my professional development as well as my personal development with regards to my family. Starting with the pragmatics of language, language attributes to the different theoretical perspectives on language acquisition and the effects of environmental influences on such, the knowledge I've learned as have had the pleasure to apply in my assistive positions have made me an ideal facilitator and advocate of early learning and language development. I have learned from my many afforded literature resources that opinions on this matter come a dime a dozen so I seek to offer a different theoretical perspective, one based on my personal experiences and observations; every child is different and learn or develop in different ways. Oddly it seems simple enough and I am sure I have heard it somewhere before, but it isn't often enough applied. Sure we can say that the child with a speech impairment will grow out of it and doesn't need professional help/ coaching, while another does because of their 'impoverished environment'. During the history of man stereotyping has never gotten us anywhere so why continually apply it to those too young and are incapable of defending themselves? 

What we know for certain is that children are born with the innate capacity to learn language and that the main requirement for doing so is exposure to language and opportunities to use it; we also know that although they are able to overcome physical and environmental challenges to learn language, there appears to be a critical period during which language learning is optimal (Piper,2012). It is certainly time we apply this mantra to every learner and recognize that speech and language disorders will continue to exist regardless of cultural disparities or environmental influences.

References

Piper, T. (2012). Making meaning, making sense: Children’s early language learning. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education.

Ethical Leaders Anyone?

Ethical Leadership Anyone?

U. S Virgin Islands Governor K. Mapp

Ethical leadership involves acting with moral purpose and integrity to do what is right, just, and fair in service of common good; they are genuine with themselves and others, they remain true to who they are and what they stand for (Weiss, 2011). The main characteristics of ethical leadership are authenticity and integrity. Authentic leaders have genuine desires to serve, they know themselves and lead from their values; they understand their purpose, have strong values about doing the right thing in work and in their lives and are passionate about their mission (George with Sims, 2007). Ethical leaders with integrity often illustrates an 'alignment between what one does and what one says; doing and saying should belong to the same whole' (Brown, 2005). Acting with integrity is the same as acting ethically or morally (DeGeorge, 1993). Notable examples of ethical leaders include but aren't limited to the Dalai Lama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Mohandas Gandhi, and Erykah Badu (a notable activist for youth engagement and development through the arts). As I mentioned in discussions, the most influential leader in our territory, the governor, is continuing to lose the confidence of the people and even the Senate committee due to unethical actions continuously arising since he took office in January. His actions have caused many of the nominees selected as commissioners and chairpersons resigning every month as a new scandal of some sort is making headlines again because of the governor lack of ethics. His lack of ethics and those who held the office before him set the precedence for every other aspiring politician within our territory including those who are the most impressionable, the youths.

Outside of our own governor and that he has recently become notable for, many of his cabinet/ administration's members are also under much needed scrutiny for their actions during the short tenure this administration has had. My main concerns are with all being discussed and the spotlights being 'lit' what exactly are these politicians and their aids doing to better serve the needs of the territories educational institutions? I have heard of the many strides made for UVI's medical program and think it great as nursing has become such a common occupation within the territory, but early childhood education is still not being addressed. Too many have to wait until they are of school age (five years old) to attend public school because Head Start programs have waiting lists by years and not enough facilities. 

 This sort of leadership has caused discord among our governments officials, the community at large and has even stopped initiatives and legislations from being practiced due to hardball being played between too much people with power. 

Ethics is generally defined as motivations or actions that are based on ideas of what is      right and wrong, but it also encompasses the values and morals that an individual, society, or       institution deems acceptable and desirable (Weiss, 2011). Leaders who do not encompass the values and morals of the society cannot effectively and authentically lead any majority without first being motivated to do so by similar causes. I think ethical leadership is important because it teaches integrity and culture to followers in turn empowering the masses.  

Weiss, J. W. (2011). An introduction to leadership. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Too Much Violence: USVI Shootings Near Preschools, USVI Shootings Near Preschool's 2, and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student