Parent causes uproar at City College after son gets into fight
By Samantha Alleyne
Stabroek News
October 3, 2002
City College was in an uproar on Tuesday when irate relatives of a student barged into the school building in search of two thirteen-year-olds who they say had wronged him.
A concerned parent told Stabroek News yesterday morning that the men had the students along with the teachers running in and around the building to avoid coming into contact with them.
Contacted yesterday administrator of the Peter Rose Street college, Stephie Allen, confirmed the report stating that the incident has since been reported to the Alberttown Police Station.
According to Allen, the student, who is a son of one of the three men, had a problem with the thirteen-year-old boys. She said that they are all the same age and the matter was reported to her and she dealt with it accordingly.
She said the student, who is a foreigner, reportedly slapped one of the boys who did not retaliate. When he was questioned by another as to why he slapped his colleague he responded by slapping the other student. This student however, did not let the incident pass and he pushed the student who then attempted to kick him. But the student held on to his feet and he fell sustaining a small cut to his lip. The incident was reported and the administrator said she dealt with the student. She said because the child is a foreigner she sometimes has difficulty understanding what he says but she dealt with the issue to the best of her ability.
Later in the day she said the child requested a phone call which she allowed him and shortly after the three men visited the school and barged into the school building.
The school has a guard and while he was in place when the men entered the compound he did not follow them up the stairs nor did he attempt to assist the students and teachers.
Allen said the directors of the school will be taking action against the guard.
Allen said when the men barged into the school she recognised the child’s father and she called out to him informing him that he was not allowed to enter the classrooms.
She said the man responded to her in a language she could not understand and continued on his journey up the stairs. The woman said she ran behind him and held onto his jersey in an attempt to prevent him from going into the classroom but this did not dissuade him.
The man and his companions entered classroom after classroom looking for the two young boys and this caused children and teachers to run helter-skelter through the school building.
She said when the men approached the classroom which the two boys were in she ran in front of them and barred the door. She says they physically assaulted her in an attempt to get into the classroom.
By this time the students in the classroom had armed themselves with pieces of wood and other objects preparing for the three men.
However, some fifth formers went to the administrator’s assistance and along with teachers were able to prevent the trio from entering the classroom. They later left with the promise to return with the police. They only left the compound after the employees from Federal Management Systems, not located far from the school, entered the compound and ordered them out.
She said the incident lasted for about twenty-five minutes and the school had called the police who never turned up.
However, shortly after the men left, they returned with two policemen from the Alberttown Police Station and attempted to gain entry into the compound but she informed the ranks that the men were not allowed into the school’s compound.
The ranks then requested that the two thirteen-year-olds accompany them to the station, but Allen said she refused stating that the students would not leave without her. She said eventually she and the two students along with some others went to the station where they waited for sometime before speaking to one Superintendent, Balram Persaud, who is in charge of the station.
She said after speaking to him he told her to write a statement but again she was forced to wait for a long time and she subsequently left with the students as she had left the school unattended.
Allen said she is now in the process of writing a statement, which she would give to the station and she hopes some action will be taken against the three men.
She has since been instructed by the directors of the school, who all reside overseas to expel the student which she has done.