A Parent Concern: Liahona High School Violence Caused by Few “Terrorists” Featured
Elder Kim B. Clark’s − LDS Commissioner of Education worldwide
A Parent Concern: Liahona High School Violence Caused by Few “Terrorists”
(Nuku’alofa Journal…Volume 3. No. 4. March 23, 2016)
Written by Sione A. Mokofisi
This Liahona High School parent is horrified with the sensationalization by the local media of Elder Kim B. Clark’s − LDS Commissioner of Education worldwide − recent visit to Tonga. Instead of pursuing the positive educational news Elder Clark (a General Authority Seventy) brought to Tonga, the media concentrates on the age-old problem of school-boy brawling as if Elder Clark came specifically for that reason.
How was the problem explained to Elder Clark? On such a brief visit, his agenda would be filled with important educational strategies, administration challenges, increased staffing, religious concerns, and student performance evaluations. Church schools reputation in the media would be addressed if it’s a universal problem, which he would have a ready answer for. But this is a local problem, which Elder Clark would not know the full historical roots and cultural ramifications of our “school-boy brawls” in a few hours or even a few days of briefing.
It is unfair to post a question for a comment on cultural pride and ignorance to a highly educated man who would have never seen such violence before. The local media complains constantly about foreigners as being “parachute journalists” who would spend a few hours on the ground and make a blanket judgment on local matters.
LOCAL MEDIA ASK “TRICK” QUESTION
Obviously, someone (a media person or a Liahona leader) asked the trick and hypothetical question meant to entrap an answer of finality. It was an unfair question to Elder Cark: Would the Church consider shutting down Liahona High School because of the school-boy brawls? Elder Clark was honest but without realizing, he fell victim to give the answer to a Tongan problem, which local leaders and Police are helpless trying to find an answer to it.
Elder Clark answered, “How do we need schools that seek violence and fighting? If that becomes the nature of these schools, then yes, the church will shut it down. Our intent is to become the opposite to become great sources of strength to the country.” Absolutely, but we all know that, that is not the “nature” of Liahona High School to “seek violence.” Girls do not fight, and only a few “bad apples” boys, and sometimes non-student individuals are the instigators.
Unfortunately, the question transferred the responsibilities to solve the problem from local leaders to Elder Clark. And shutting down LDS Schools in Tonga was the harsh message everyone wanted to hear a “General Authority” of the LDS Church deliver. To LDS members, it’s the equivalent of Moses coming down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments and found the Israelites had turned to idol worshipping.
The question should have been, “Is this a local matter for the local administration to manage, or does the LDS Church have similar problems anywhere else?” The local administration should be taking full responsibilities.
A LOCAL MEDIA DEFICIENCY
To his credit, Elder Clark, Ph.D. economics, Harvard University (former dean of Harvard School of Business, 1995-2005); former president of BYU-Idaho, 2005-2015; called to a General Authority Seventy, April 4, 2015, answered the question as asked. But the real news was that Dr. Clark announced the LDS Church commitment to increasing educational resources to its educational systems.
“Schools need to be an engine of development and growth for the church and countries,” he said.
“What needs to be improved, the primary thing is to get better at teaching and learning with more training, more development, more ideas, and better teachers.” He encouraged students to continue their education after high school. The LDS Church operates BYU-Hawaii; BYU-Idaho; BYU-Provo; LDS Business College, Salt Lake City, Utah; and BYU Jerusalem Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
This is great news for Tonga: With an ever-growing young population, dwindling fundings to modernize the government schools, the LDS Education System is increasing its fundings, and improving teachers’ skills, and providing more training. But nobody in the media explored this great news. In what ways is the LDS Education System going to “bring more development, more ideas, and better teachers?” But the local media is incapable of such research work.
A LOCAL ADMINISTRATION DEFICIENCY
In this parent’s views, the problem lies with the local administrators. If I were Elder Clark, I would remind the local administrators with their responsibilities to clean up the mess within six months. Otherwise, they would all be replaced. Reason being, it’s been too long, and they’ve had enough time to clean it up. A “Clean House” would replace the “culture” and bad blood that is festering among the students. They need new leaders who can pave new paths to “bring more development, more ideas, and better teachers.”
Pathetically, Liahona High School withdrew from inter-secondary schools sports and athletics competitions. Leaders are claiming success in their first year, however, the problem still exists. And my children are denied their opportunities to enjoy school sports activities with other schools. Administrators have held devotional prayer meetings between these schools, and the Police are even including threats of cancelling the sports and athletics competitions. I am oppose to that unwise thought.
Now, we have a member of the LDS General Authorities issuing a threatening message. Is this suppose to cause the few boys who find this violence entertaining to be shaking in their boots? I don’t think so; while good students and their parents feel threatened by Elder Clark’s comments, these few troublemakers are “terrorists” and they should be treated like terrorists. My children have lost their freedom to travel back and forth to school in peace. They are denied the joy of participating in inter-school sports and athletics.
Why should the majority of the student body live in fear of these few terrorists? Read more in Part II next week how we can solve the problem of getting rid of these “terrorists.”
(Sione A. Mokofisi is a bi-lingual published writer. He holds a MBA from the University of Phoenix-Arizona; B.S. and Diploma in Travel Industry Management at BYU-Hawaii; an A.A. from Mesa Community College-Arizona. He worked professionally for major airlines, major hotel chains, and major news corporations. E-mail contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
5 comments
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PLEASE “Other Person:” In public discourse we don’t go by “understanding” of a controversial event that took place in the past.
1) Two incidences of Liahona girls who were leading a “school girl brawl” in 2014 and 2015 is hearsay in your part.
2) Police have no records, and I arrived in Tonga in 2014, stayed for better part of 2015, returned earlier this year, but I’ve never heard of a Liahona school girl brawling. Unless you have witnesses and victims that you interviewed who can collaborate your story…(a) Which school did Liahona girls fight with? (b) Who started the fight? (c) Were there injuries?There are just too many concocted stories going around that are unsubstantiated.
3) The former Police Inspector that I interviewed knew only of complaints by uniform Liahona girls who were attacked by Tonga College boys. Perhaps the Liahona girls tried to join the boys fight and were attacked as well. Police have no confirmed confession by Liahona girls.
4) Your assertion regarding Liahona school girl brawling is not supported by Police records. Therefore, it’s hearsay, and not good enough to state in public as fact.
Secondly, you asserted that Elder Kim B. Clark, “…was exactly reasonable in what he was saying.” But you’re mis-characterizing the point in my column: That Elder Clark dd not come to Tonga to address the school-boy brawl. Please read my column again. I proposed Elder Clark was “unfairly” put on the spot to give an answer of local nature; he was not well-informed on the history and barbarity of the violence that has gone on for over 40 years.
You, instead wrote a sermon to preach your religious values, however, this is not a religious discussion.
The local media had an agenda to trap an LDS General Authority to saying Liahona High School will be closed due to uncontrollable school-boy brawls. You must understand media sensationalism mentality, and media underlying strategies before participating in public discourse with the media on facts, inferences, analyses, and logic.
Why then did the local Church Education public relations office issue a restatement of Elder Clark’s comments? As I was correct to suggest that the local media ambushed an LDS Church programs by unfairly confronting a General Authority to comment on an age-old local problem. The question was a trap knowing that Elder Clark will answer in the affirmative, knowing that a religious organization does not condone violence.
How else was Elder Clark supposed to answer the direct question? Obviously, someone in the Church Education public relations office should have briefed Elder Clark on how hotly debated the issue is in the media. Caution should have been to Elder Clark prior to the media conference, that the question would be raised.
That’s the job of a public relations office. Putting out fire afterwards is too late; the damage is done. The local media had forewarned LDS members and Liahona students’ parents of Liahona’s probable closure before the damage control news release was sent out. -
This is not de Liahona High School I use to attend so many years ago. LHS was a beautiful school. Did not involved in any stupid fight. At the time All faculties and staffs even ground supervisors were all Palangi people from US, NZ, AUST. and other countries. Why Tongan Leaders cannot solve this manini problem. Real leaders solve problems. This has been going on for too long. Puleanga Tonga moe Siasi. Where your children going to attend school if LDS Church closes down church schools in Tonga. Think about it. Malo
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This is very bad and stupid, Leadership of the Church in Tonga, from the Mission President on down, should call all leaders involved and give them an ultimatum, either clean it up, or fire all the Liahona High School administration, and get rid (expelled) of all the trouble maker, sent them home and have every student signed a pledge, and when they brake it, kick them out....Period.....Too much talking already.....From a pisset off Liana Alumni.
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My understanding is that at two incidences, Liahona High School girls were leading a school girl brawl in Nuku'alofa town as of 2014 and 2015. This is to say that the problematic circumstance as of Liahona High School to date is being known with the nature as a 'school fighting starter' is undeniable to the public since way backward from 2014, which to date is to be corrected the saying here that it is not only a school boys brawl but a school boys/girls brawl. Other schools have not had their girls leading a school girls brawl except for Liahona in 2014 and 2015. For that very reason, I undoubtedly believe that Elder Kim B. Clark’s − LDS Commissioner of Education worldwide was exactly reasonable in what he was saying "“How do we need schools that seek violence and fighting? If that becomes the nature of these schools, then yes, the church will shut it down. Our intent is to become the opposite to become great sources of strength to the country. ”
LDS SCHOOLS SHOULD ACTING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VISION OF THE CHURCH AS REMINDED BY CLARK SAYING:
“Schools need to be an engine of development and growth for the church and countries."
"What needs to be improved, the primary thing is to get better at teaching and learning with more training, more development, more ideas, and better teachers.”
HE PUTS IT IMPLICITLY THAT THE CHURCH DOES NOT AT ALL COSTS CONDONE NOR TOLERATE ANY SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS BRAWLS AS OF THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCE OF LIAHONA HIGH SCHOOL.
Hence if the School cannot operate upon its prime function which to educate and nurture students then it is right that the school be closed down for the better! -
Its our responsibility as a country to look after our youth as they are our future.... we as a country are challenged to work together to stop this so called childish violence. In fact it is the responsibility of the school to provides education for its fellow students and to prevent violence by any means. Students and administrators must know that if such violence insist then there is no choice but to close it as it ruins the purpose of the church in providing education for its members. They must take responsibility and refrain from such childish act. The church reputation is being tarnished by such behaviour and must be stopped now or suffer the consequences as the Elder has expressed. I am sure he has been informed of the continuous violence that Liahona students have been involved in the past few years. Its sound dramatic but the church can't tolerate such violence as it is against the teaching of the church and the purpose of the school. Teachers cannot be around to look after students when they in town and in their villages, therefore the whole community must responsible for its own peace. Not so long ago a male in the village of Fua'amotu was killed while involving in a fight between youth of the village. The culture of violence must be stopped for the sake of our country as a whole. Ofa mai a hotau fakamo'ui Tonga... we ought to do something for our tiny nation...