Tranquillity boy beaten by suspended student

A Form Two Tranquillity Government Secondary School student was badly beaten on Wednesday by a suspended Form Four student.

The boy who was beaten has injuries to his face, forehead and neck.

His father, who did not want to be identified, told Newsday his son felt like a target and did not feel comfortable at the school.

He said,“Since my son started in Form One we have been getting complaints of harassment from him.

There was another incident when he was in Form One.

“I have been trying to get a transfer for him and, to date, the ministry cannot tell me why the process has not been done. I have made several complaints to the teacher, principal and the ministry.”

The boy’s father is calling on Education Minister Anthony Garcia to ensure the transfer is done soon before a more serious incident happens.

The father said the principal told him the Form Four student was on suspension for a similar incident and would be suspended for an additional seven days. He said the suspended student may have slipped past the security guards at the front gate to get into the school.

He complained, “Since my son went to that school he has been battling to keep safe. The incident happened yesterday (Wednesday) where the children were playing a game called blind man.

“My son told his classmates he did not want to play, but they held him down anyway. The game involves one person blocking a child eye while the rest tap-up the person.”

His son said the suspended student continued hitting him in the head. He said the suspended student also kicked him in the stomach, choked him and hit him several times in the face.

The father said the teacher was not in the classroom, as he had gone to meet with two parents in the school office.

“This behaviour is unacceptable. Even the police told me there is always an issue with that school.

“I don’t want anything else to happen to my son, and I want him out of that school. There is hardly any supervision for the students and the security guards are never around.”

The father reported the incident to the Woodbrook Police Station and intends to press charges. He said after several visits to the ministry, he was still waiting for a meeting with the minister.

A member of staff at the school told Newsday to liaise with the ministry for further information.

When contacted, Garcia said the parents should take up the matter with the school supervisor.

“I am not aware of the incident, but I do not get involved unless it it is a more complicated incident,” he said.

“There is a process for parents to go through, and the parents should follow through with the process. I would advise them to take up the matter with the school supervisor and make a report to the police.”

In May 2018, after a fight between two Form One students, two staff members at the school were assaulted.