The Perceptions of Barbadian Teachers on Secondary School Violence

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe and give meaning to teachers¿ perceptions of secondary school (U.S. sixth through 12th grade) violence in Barbados, West Indies through their lived experiences. In this study school violence was defined as (a) individual victimization experiences, (b) gang activities and weapon possession, (c) illegal substance abuse, (d) bullying and (e) conflict and crisis management. The central research question was: How do first through fifth year (U.S. sixth through 12th grade) teachers in four different government-owned schools in Barbados describe their experiences with school violence, school climate, and school safety?