In a united effort to nurture spiritual values in the territory's youth, Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, president of the Interfaith Coalition of St. Thomas-St. John, met with Education Commissioner Ruby Simmonds, Monday to establish "Clergy Support for Schools and Families."
Sen. Judy M. Gomez, Richard Evangelista and several school counselors also attended the meeting. Evangelista represented Senate President Vargrave Richards, who has established a similar coalition in St. Croix.
Gumbs stated that the group's mission is "to forge support from the faith communities through the Department of Education . . . and weave a seamless robe of care for the well-being of our children to effect a real and lasting healing in our community."
Simmonds said in part that "while we have a responsibility to keep church and state separate, we also have a responsibility to recognize that our children are whole human beings with a spiritual center."
"We live in a throw away society, where everything is disposable," the commissioner said, adding that "our children are not disposable." She said it was up to the schools, the parents and the clergy to reinforce spiritual values in the territory's youth.
Monique Matthias, a St. John counselor, cautioned that children "get contradictory messages about their value in the community . . . these messages impact how children place value in each other."
Evangelista shared the progress which has been made by Richard's St. Croix group "Ministers/Clergy in Partnership for Youth Development NOW." Several of the counselors shared accounts of their experience with students in crisis.
A follow-up meeting of the newly formed group is scheduled for February when Gumbs said he hopes to have representatives of the Parent Teacher Associations, and more members of the faith community.
