JAMAICA COLLEGE, Old Hope Road, St. Andrew, announced yesterday that it was tightening the security procedures for persons entering the school, after an incident on Thursday in which a former student attacked three female teachers there.
From Monday, only persons with legitimate business and uniformed JC students will be allowed onto the compound, Mr. Stuart Reeves, principal of the school, said in a statement. He said the security guards posted at the entrance would be outlining the procedures to all visitors and that the school would be insisting that their instructions be followed.
"The management of Jamaica College condemns the actions of those who can only bring violence to our schools where we strive to create a community that upholds the best social and academic standards," the statement said.
Mr. Reeves later told The Gleaner that the incident occurred when the former student, whose parents were asked to remove him from the school recently because of his indiscipline, came to the institution with two friends, entered a class and threatened a teacher and students. He then went onto two other classrooms, on each occasion, physically assaulting a female teacher.
During the incident, the Dean of Discipline was said to have called the police, who later picked up the boys while they were walking down Old Hope Road. The former student was later charged, but his friends were released because they were not directly involved in the assault.
The confrontation was the latest incidence of violence to rock the island's schools.
Recently teachers at Petersfield High, Westmoreland protested for two days over an attack on one of their colleagues, Brian Dehaney, who was assaulted by students when he refused to admit a latecomer into class. The incident led to the expulsion of four students.
And earlier this week, a 15-year-old student of a Kingston High School was arrested for the illegal possession of a firearm, after the police went to the compound and found a firearm.
Yesterday Mr. Reeves said the school would be taking every measure to ensure that its staff and students were protected even as it carried out its mandate to provide quality education for students. He urged national support for educators as they tackle the problem of violence in schools.
"It is time, as a nation, to stand united and address the challenges of violence and lawlessness in our society and support those who work with and for our children and our future," he said.
