Students go through a lot. They face physical, mental, and emotional challenges that often go unspoken. Today, I want to share some of my own experiences, along with what others have lived through, to shed light on the harsh realities within the Haitian school system.

ABUSE STARTS AT A YOUNG AGE

Mistreatment by teachers can begin with children as young as 3 years old. They are cursed at, hit, and humiliated. These are just children.

Many times, their parents have no idea what is even happening. Most kids stay quiet about teacher abuse because they believe their parents will not care or will simply side with the adults. In Haiti, there is a cultural teaching that adults are always right. This way of thinking has normalized abuse and has made children scared to speak up when adults and authority figures like teachers hurt them. They grow up believing they deserve to be beaten and that they are supposed to suffer. There is a significant difference, Haitians often haven't grasped the fundamental difference between genuine respect and fear-induced submission. This isn't just an individual oversight but a deeply systemic issue, profoundly influencing how they raise their children, leading them to mistakenly believe that instilling fear is the same as earning respect.

A SYSTEM OF PRIVILEGE AND DISRESPECT

In many schools, only children with rich or well-known parents are treated decently, it’s always about favoritism. Little children are called names like “pigs,” “dogs,” “b*tches,” or “stinkards” for no reason.

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN THE CLASSROOM

I remember a girl in my 6th-grade class who was just 12 years old. A teacher bullied her constantly because she attended an Adventist church. That teacher mocked her religion and laughed at her when she cried.

She once told the girl that she would make her suffer until she returned to the Catholic Church. The teacher even suggested that the only reason the girl attended that church was for the night services, so she could fool around with boys since that's what young women do when they go to night church services. The girl never defended herself. She only cried. At the time, I did not realize how wrong this was. Now I do. I respect that girl, Frandeline, for her bravery.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT FOR PERSONAL BELIEFS

At that same school, teachers used to whip students on Mondays if they missed church on Sunday. It did not matter if their family was not Catholic. They were also punished for not showing up at school events, such as funerals. Sometimes the punishment was for nothing at all. Teachers simply did it because they could.

THE NEGLECT OF MENTAL HEALTH

The abuse was so heavy, I am shocked no one committed suicide. In Haiti, people are told that suicide leads straight to hell. That is probably the only reason some never took that step.

If someone does try to take their own life, they are mocked. I remember hearing about a girl who drank bleach to end her life. Someone commented, “Well, she didn’t really want to die. She didn’t drink enough.” This shows how deep the ignorance is. Mental health means nothing to many Haitians. If you are suffering, some people are only waiting for your funeral to go drink and party.

THE BRUTALITY OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

Teachers did not just yell. They beat students with thick wooden sticks they called rulers, but these were heavy planks, not real rulers. They also used twisted leather whips made from animal skin, called toutoubèf.

The sad part is that Haitian kids are not even disrespectful. Compared to kids in other countries who fight teachers, curse at them, and misbehave constantly, Haitian students are much more disciplined. They did not deserve to be treated like that.

EXPLOITATION AND "SEX FOR GRADES"

This needs to be said. Some teachers exchange grades for sex. It happens mostly in high school, but middle school students have been targeted too. If a student refuses, they get bullied by those same teachers or fail the class. Sometimes even the headmasters know and choose to stay quiet. Some are even part of it.

Imagine sending your 13-year-old daughter to school, and a man in his forties is offering her grades for sex. Some students feel they have no choice. They want to pass, so they give in.

SYSTEMIC NEGLECT: A LACK OF BASIC RESOURCES

Even today, students from the countryside walk long distances to get to school. They cross rivers, get soaked in the rain, and sometimes drown. They do not have money for transportation. They do not get free lunch or breakfast.

I do not know of any school in Haiti that feeds its students or gives them rides. The government provides nothing. Many of those students do not even get accepted to public schools.

A CALL FOR CHANGE

When you see someone succeed in Haiti, know they went through a lot. Do not try to tear them down. You do not know the price they paid. The students in the mountains need nearby schools and real support. No child should walk miles just to be beaten and starved.

If you have gone through something like this, or if you have an opinion on these issues, we encourage you to share your story. Let us talk about what students have endured. Thank you for reading.