In the wake of death threats, several teachers and students of the Barrackpore East Secondary School stayed away from classes today.
Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) president Martin Lum Kin confirmed that emails threatening to shoot and kill students and educators at the school either today or tomorrow were sent to the school's official email address and two teachers of the school.
Despite the unease expressed by the school's administration and parents, Lum Kin said the Ministry of Education decided against closing the school.
He said, "TTUTA believes that in this day and age, any such threats should not be taken lightly and the Ministry of Education as well as the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service should take every precaution to preserve the lives of the occupants of the Barrackpore East Secondary School. TTUTA shudders to think if this threat was carried out and the loss of lives, even one loss of life is one too many losses. An ounce of prevention is greater than a pound of cure."
Condemning the threats, he said the action was an act of terrorism and treason. He called on the Cyber Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to launch a full-scale investigation into this ghastly act and bring the perpetrators to justice. Only ten teachers and 200 students were present today.