Parents of the victims of Monday's beating at the San Fernando West Government School are calling on the Ministry of Education to review its policies on school violence. Psyche Williams, mother of 15-year-old Shanna Williams, made the appeal as she visited her daughter at the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday. Her daughter and schoolmate, Keanu Achong, 15, were assaulted by another student. She said an official at the school explained to her that children could not be expelled before a certain amount of incidents occurred.
Williams, who sat at the bedside of her only child, said: "I want the Ministry of Education to review the rules concerning violence in schools. It's not the first time there were fights in that school. "My daughter was damaged last year when two boys kicked down a board and it hit her on her foot." Williams' call was echoed by Achong's mother, Catrika Marchan, who said something must be done about violent students. Marchan said she was sympathetic with the suspect. She said she was still in a state of disbelief and she only wanted everything to return to normalcy for her son and Shanna. Shanna is expected to undergo surgery for a fracture to her jaw.
Doctors are awaiting medical test results in respect to Achong. Marchan said yesterday, Achong, who regained consciousness, remained in a serious condition at the neurology ward of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. She said doctors were trying to remove a blood clot from his head. "He is schedule for a CT scan next week from which they will know if he has to undergo surgery. They took him out of ICU. He can talk a bit but his head is swollen and his forehead is pushed back," Marchan added. Shanna said doctors told her the swelling on her face had to ease before she could undergo surgery.
