Too many demands could be contributing to teachers’ deaths, says therapist

WESTERN BUREAU:
Western Jamaica-based family therapist Dr Beverly Scott says the increasing demands being placed on teachers may be a contributing factor in incidents where educators die suddenly, as well as affecting their interactions with their loved ones and the students under their care.
Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Scott was responding to news of Monday’s sudden death of St James High School senior teacher Sheldon Johnson, who collapsed and died at a gas station shortly after leaving a meeting at the school. Johnson died one month after a female teacher at Buff Bay High School in Portland complained of feeling unwell and subsequently died.
“What is happening with the teachers is that there are too many demands on them, and I think these demands are unnecessary,” said Scott, who is a former educator. 
“Some of the things that they are asked to do, they do not benefit them or the children they teach. And many of them do not even get holidays, because one teacher told me that they have to work during the holiday period.
“In addition, teachers are no longer just teachers, because they have to spend so much time dealing with students’ behavioural issues. But they were not trained as therapists, psychologists, or behaviourists. They were trained as teachers.”
In November 2016, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) expressed concern about teachers’ stress levels, warning educators not to overwork themselves and calling for the Government to find ways to reduce what it described as ‘high stress levels’ in classrooms. That call came after the deaths of three teachers within a month.
Twelve educators died between May and August 2022, and two others passed away between August and September 2023. Following those deaths, the JTA urged teachers to prioritise self-care and not to take for granted any underlying medical conditions they might have.
WARNING SIGNS
Scott listed several warning signs that educators should look out for while monitoring their health, including declining interpersonal relationships with their loved ones.
“The signs that teachers should look for include their speech not being as clear as it used to be, where you are talking too fast or too slow, and that is a sign of experiencing serious emotional stress. You may have activities to do, and at the end of the day you have not done any, because you do not have the mental capacity to focus on them,” said Scott.
“Some people have panic attacks, or your heart is just racing for no reason, and you go to the doctor, and the doctor says nothing is wrong with your heart. But the heart can bear only a certain amount of load, and the pressure on the heart is too much. Another sign is that you are impatient with your children, your family, and your relatives, and you cannot stop to think and listen,” Scott explained.
Meanwhile, Dr Michelle Pinnock, the regional director for the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s Region Four division, urged teachers to be proactive in balancing their jobs with their personal lives and well-being.
“I encourage all educators to be intentional about self-care by taking time to monitor their health, seek medical attention where necessary, manage stress, and maintain a healthy work-life balance,” said Pinnock. “Our educators dedicate themselves daily to caring for others, and it is equally important that they care for themselves. The education ministry’s Region Four remains committed to promoting staff wellness.”
christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com