bahamiangoddess
02-24-08, - 11:57 PM
'Outsiders' jailed after high school brawl erupts
By LEDEDRA MARCHE
Senior FN Reporter
An intrusion at one private school Wednesday afternoon left two outsiders jailed, the guardians of one of them wanting answers and school and police officials investigating.
The "schoolyard brawl" at Grand Bahama Catholic High School occurred during the lunch break between two St. Georges High School male students and a reported 10 Catholic High males.
But the mother and grandmother of one of the 16-year-old St. Georges students yesterday say while they do fault the youngster for going on the school campus during school hours, they are not at all pleased in the way school officials handled the situation after the melee.
Stephanie Taylor, the grand-mother, and Charmaine Taylor, the mother of the teen boy who suffered serious injuries as a result of the brawl, say they are not even upset with the fact that the boy was arrested, taken into custody and kept overnight.
They met with school officials Wednesday afternoon and again on Thursday morning. The mother and daughter pointed out that the school officials were nonchalant and gave the impression that had the teen been killed, he deserved it.
"I'm of the impression that it is being handled this way as a cover up," the teen's grandmother said. "If there had not been an outbreak, he would have not been charged with trespassing.
"He did not go there to start a fight. If he had, I don't think he would have gone onto that premises alone and not with one student."
But school officials say the teen was on the campus Wednesday, escorted off by teachers and returned minutes later with four others. Three of them remained at the rear of the school while the teen and the other 16 year old came on campus. What's more, school authorities say, the teen was armed with rocks.
"He did not go there with any violent intent. He was only there on an invitation from his friend," said the grandmother. "That's all it was supposed to be and it really turned ugly and the school has not given us any satisfaction. As far as they (school administration) are concerned he had no rights on the premises, he was trespassing and so they are going to press charges."
After speaking with the principal in the office, the older Taylor said another school official behind the counter made a comment which suggested that the Catholic High students were justified in their actions.
She said she has always stressed the importance of anger management and conflict resolution to her children and insists the teen is not a troublesome child.
In fact, the grandmother said it was not his first time on that school campus and he had visited with the same student before.
According to the women, the teen was attending sports day at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex that day and had decided to visit his friend at the school so he cut across the trackroad which leads to the rear of the campus where he met his friend.
The youngster was standing up and talking with his friend in the courtyard when there was a verbal exchange, according to the grandmother, and the youngster was attacked by 15 or more students.
According to their information, the women say the other St. Georges student who had accompanied the teen ran away.
Before long, the police took the youngster into custody, transported him to the Rand Memorial Hospital under supervision where he received five stitches in his head.
"He had to get X-rays, he was all battered, bruised, he is limping now and he was taken to the Central Police Station," the mother told The Freeport News, adding that when she received the call the teen was already at the hospital.
"Nobody is looking at the fact that he was there to see his friend as a visitor and he was attacked."
The bewildered mother admits the wrongdoing of her son, but says that doesn't justify him being beaten down and the fact that the school officials are not concerned about taking action against the other boys.
"I understand my son was wrong, I told her that. I accept that he was wrong but in light of what happened while we were there."
School Principal Daisy McPhee revealed yesterday that the school is still investigating the matter and is conducting individual interviews with those believed to be involved.
School officials say in fact there were five boys who came on campus that day, three stood by the bushes at the rear where they came through, but ran off while the other two came on campus and were involved in the melee.
Eventually the two teens were taken into the office by teachers and the police called in.
McPhee added that the couple also gave two conflicting stories about who they were there to visit.
"We are not happy that he was beaten," she said, pointing out that she tended to his bruises with peroxide in the office when the young man eventually allowed her to.
The principal said she also went to the hospital to see the young man but learned that he had been released and taken to Central Police Station. When she arrived there she was told she could not see the youngster without his parents' permission.
McPhee said she also called an assembly with the entire student body following the fight on Wednesday to address the matter.
She then called individuals into her office and, as a result of threats reportedly made by one of the boys that it wasn't the end of it, McPhee said she was compelled to inform a number of the parents.
Director of Catholic Educa-tion Claudette Rolle, who happened to be at the school at the time called the incident and the outcome unfortunate but insists there is no cover up.
"We have no need to cover up anything that happened. Absolutely none. Of course. in a situation like this investigations will have to be ongoing, because it was a schoolyard brawl and so to interview each person and to talk to each person, it takes some time," she said.
Chief Superintendent Basil Rahming revealed yesterday that the two 16 year olds taken into custody on Wednesday have since been charged with trespassing and assault.
They have been granted bail and are scheduled to appear before the Juvenile Panel on Tuesday.
By LEDEDRA MARCHE
Senior FN Reporter
An intrusion at one private school Wednesday afternoon left two outsiders jailed, the guardians of one of them wanting answers and school and police officials investigating.
The "schoolyard brawl" at Grand Bahama Catholic High School occurred during the lunch break between two St. Georges High School male students and a reported 10 Catholic High males.
But the mother and grandmother of one of the 16-year-old St. Georges students yesterday say while they do fault the youngster for going on the school campus during school hours, they are not at all pleased in the way school officials handled the situation after the melee.
Stephanie Taylor, the grand-mother, and Charmaine Taylor, the mother of the teen boy who suffered serious injuries as a result of the brawl, say they are not even upset with the fact that the boy was arrested, taken into custody and kept overnight.
They met with school officials Wednesday afternoon and again on Thursday morning. The mother and daughter pointed out that the school officials were nonchalant and gave the impression that had the teen been killed, he deserved it.
"I'm of the impression that it is being handled this way as a cover up," the teen's grandmother said. "If there had not been an outbreak, he would have not been charged with trespassing.
"He did not go there to start a fight. If he had, I don't think he would have gone onto that premises alone and not with one student."
But school officials say the teen was on the campus Wednesday, escorted off by teachers and returned minutes later with four others. Three of them remained at the rear of the school while the teen and the other 16 year old came on campus. What's more, school authorities say, the teen was armed with rocks.
"He did not go there with any violent intent. He was only there on an invitation from his friend," said the grandmother. "That's all it was supposed to be and it really turned ugly and the school has not given us any satisfaction. As far as they (school administration) are concerned he had no rights on the premises, he was trespassing and so they are going to press charges."
After speaking with the principal in the office, the older Taylor said another school official behind the counter made a comment which suggested that the Catholic High students were justified in their actions.
She said she has always stressed the importance of anger management and conflict resolution to her children and insists the teen is not a troublesome child.
In fact, the grandmother said it was not his first time on that school campus and he had visited with the same student before.
According to the women, the teen was attending sports day at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex that day and had decided to visit his friend at the school so he cut across the trackroad which leads to the rear of the campus where he met his friend.
The youngster was standing up and talking with his friend in the courtyard when there was a verbal exchange, according to the grandmother, and the youngster was attacked by 15 or more students.
According to their information, the women say the other St. Georges student who had accompanied the teen ran away.
Before long, the police took the youngster into custody, transported him to the Rand Memorial Hospital under supervision where he received five stitches in his head.
"He had to get X-rays, he was all battered, bruised, he is limping now and he was taken to the Central Police Station," the mother told The Freeport News, adding that when she received the call the teen was already at the hospital.
"Nobody is looking at the fact that he was there to see his friend as a visitor and he was attacked."
The bewildered mother admits the wrongdoing of her son, but says that doesn't justify him being beaten down and the fact that the school officials are not concerned about taking action against the other boys.
"I understand my son was wrong, I told her that. I accept that he was wrong but in light of what happened while we were there."
School Principal Daisy McPhee revealed yesterday that the school is still investigating the matter and is conducting individual interviews with those believed to be involved.
School officials say in fact there were five boys who came on campus that day, three stood by the bushes at the rear where they came through, but ran off while the other two came on campus and were involved in the melee.
Eventually the two teens were taken into the office by teachers and the police called in.
McPhee added that the couple also gave two conflicting stories about who they were there to visit.
"We are not happy that he was beaten," she said, pointing out that she tended to his bruises with peroxide in the office when the young man eventually allowed her to.
The principal said she also went to the hospital to see the young man but learned that he had been released and taken to Central Police Station. When she arrived there she was told she could not see the youngster without his parents' permission.
McPhee said she also called an assembly with the entire student body following the fight on Wednesday to address the matter.
She then called individuals into her office and, as a result of threats reportedly made by one of the boys that it wasn't the end of it, McPhee said she was compelled to inform a number of the parents.
Director of Catholic Educa-tion Claudette Rolle, who happened to be at the school at the time called the incident and the outcome unfortunate but insists there is no cover up.
"We have no need to cover up anything that happened. Absolutely none. Of course. in a situation like this investigations will have to be ongoing, because it was a schoolyard brawl and so to interview each person and to talk to each person, it takes some time," she said.
Chief Superintendent Basil Rahming revealed yesterday that the two 16 year olds taken into custody on Wednesday have since been charged with trespassing and assault.
They have been granted bail and are scheduled to appear before the Juvenile Panel on Tuesday.