By: Thalia J. Reynolds – Freelance Reporter
While the police have indicated that a male student has been charged for assaulting a female teacher at the Tivoli Gardens High after an altercation between the pair, there are calls by social media users for the educator to also be charged.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) via its social media platforms, announced that, the 16-year-old boy was charged with
assault ocassioning bodily harm following the altercation at the school on Monday.
“The teen was charged by detectives at the Denham Town Police Station,” the JCF said, adding that, “Investigations are ongoing.”
A follow-up tweet by the JCF said the teen has also been charged with malicious destruction of property.
According to information received by Jam Street Journal, the boy was reportedly on suspension, but turned up at the school.
Further reports are that he entered the teacher’s class and disrupted the class by behaving aggressively and boisterously.
The educator then asked him to leave, but he refused. At this juncture, the teacher and the student became engaged in a physical confrontation, grabbing each other on occasions.
At one stage, the student pushed the teacher in front a white board, and then she proceeds to pick up a desk. However, the male student takes away the desk and tosses it aside before both drap each other.
Other students had to intervene to separate the pair, but the two hold on to each other as the male student continues to throw blows, some of which caught the female educator.
There are some reports, too, that it was, in fact, the male student who had first slapped the educator in her face that caused the fight between the two.
Still, social media users are of the view that the educator should face charges based on what was shown in the video.
“The teacher is a ‘tegeregg’ tuh! No pardon for her! She should resign or better yet… be fired! Respect is earned… not expected! Instant dismissal for the student,” said one woman on Facebook.
While some agreed regarding the student’s suggested expulsion from the school, others did not agree with the teacher being fired.
“Teachers should have the right to defend themselves. These kids behave like man and a nuff abuse teacher face in classroom,” opined another woman.
One male on Twitter questioned whether the female teacher would be charged, as well.
“Based on weh mi see the boy a defend himself cause the teacher tek up desk fi lick him. She fling slap to, so she fi charge fi assault to. Two wrongs nuh mek a right,” he tweeted.
Shared another individual: “A di woman a di aggressor. Mek a did my pickney.”
Other social media users said the calls for the educator to be charged were unreasonable and wrong.
“In any situation, one has to defend themselves. Mi as a teacher never did go stand up and take no likkle bwoy lick. Unuh mad?” asked one woman.
“Can’t believe people really a say the teacher wrong and a she must get charge. Jamaica really deteriorate and nah head no where. Good luck Andrew with making Jamaica prosperous!” commented another woman.
