Many well-known leaders have attended Jamaica College, but their silence on the matter of the assaulted student who had to be withdrawn from the school has been deafening. I have not heard from any of the usually vocal church leaders or the president of the JTA.
It seems that this issue has been classified as 'a no nutten.' The Minister of Education, Skills, Youth, and Information has not found time to comment on the Bark Di Trute Blog, which was sent to her.
The minister should establish a small committee to investigate this issue and provide recommendations. The school board has put itself in an awkward position and therefore it cannot try this case.
The mother of the beaten boy claims that a group of students assaulted her son. Jamaica College has sent out a detailed statement about what happened. Why was such an act done when the matter is in the hands of the police? These statements are conflicting, and if the school administration sent out a misleading statement to society, such an action is grave.
The following is the press release sent out by the lawyer for the parents of the beaten Jamaica College boy:
Statement On Behalf of Mrs Jarrett, April 7, 2026
The family of the injured Jamaica College student has read the press release issued by the Jamaica College Board of Management dated April 1, 2026 and are both horrified and saddened by the blatant attempt to control the narrative surrounding the unbelievable incident, at the school premises. This student was left with very serious injuries. In the Board’s press release, it presents a narrative of what happened to the victim, seemingly painting him as the aggressor. We are not sure on what basis the Board could have thought it appropriate to provide ‘details’, unless it was that someone from the Board witnessed the incident. If that is so, then we expect that Board member to come forward and give a witness statement to the police. To add insult to injury, prior to the airing of the televised broadcast concerning the incident, neither any member of the Board nor school administration sought to engage with the victim’s parents, if even only to enquire after the welfare of their son. This was not expected from the Board of Management of Jamaica College or indeed, from the school administration itself.
That said, the matter is presently before the criminal Court as a charge has been laid against one young man involved in the incident. As much as there is to say, our clients will respect the judicial processes and allow the law to take its course. For them, the wheels of justice must turn without interference or attempted influence from anyone, whether highly placed in society or of low station in life.
From our perspective, those communicating for the school have made a clear decision to issue public statements which in our view, are ill-timed. The question of what happened to the victim is a matter for resolution in Court. There has been no or little consideration of the impact of this event on the injured boy. Aggression in schools is obviously a serious issue and where harm to the degree suffered by this boy is done to anyone, it is a very serious matter. The welfare of every child must be primary – not the reputation of the school. The family’s focus at this time is to ensure the health, safety and emotional wellbeing of their injured son. The event was traumatic, and the handling of the situation has most regrettably, exacerbated the trauma.
The family is confident that the truth will emerge through the proper legal channels. They will take all necessary next steps to protect their son and uphold his best interests, in any way necessary and possible.
The family wishes us to add the following.
As a nation, we must ensure and uphold the care for our children. Jamaica College, like all schools in Jamaica, is expected to provide a safe and wholesome environment for children to learn and grow without trepidation and harm to them. Every learning institution must be held to that standard. Everything must be done to maintain this. Jamaica can do no less.
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| Injured student |
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| One student could not attend the celebrations. Was he remembered? |
Editor's note:
This is a very serious matter in terms of what happened and how the school administration has handled the matter. The nation must watch very carefully how this matter is handled by the school, in the criminal court and also the civil court.
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JC a noted boys school every now and then have skirmisheseith among themselves or with other schools .
ReplyDeleteDo you recall the war they had with Mona High that took to the streets.
Now I think both schools working together for the good of the nation.
I attended a Boys School myself and skirmishes among the man's were not uncommon.
Another thing too in a boys school if you operate anyway outside of the male species life could be real rough.
The Principal Robinson I know will STOP any CRIME from occurring backed by a most judiciously able Lance Hylton.
School and board just do the right things as Education direction is the overarching civilized behaviour desired.
I have known both gentlemen for many years, but this incident was not handled properly by them. I like how you call the assault, which is a crime, a "skirmish." The school has been beset with various challenges, which I am aware of. A student was murdered by another student, constant fights with Mona High School students, and a few teachers had to leave the school a few years ago. These are not matters to be treated lightly. Some of these boys are taking the bad man attitude from their communities to the classroom. Cannot work. Next thing, one of them is the next prime minister or chief justice of Jamaica!
DeleteYou present this as “neutral,” but the execution tells a different story.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot claim Jamaica College is silent and, in the same breath, criticize the school for issuing a detailed press release. That contradiction alone undermines your credibility.
You chose to publish, in full, one side’s statement, yet did not publish or meaningfully engage with the Jamaica College press release, which is grounded in contemporaneous statements and eyewitness accounts. That is not balance, it is selective amplification.
Equally telling, you make no effort to acknowledge the other student involved in what is a documented one-on-one incident. One child is humanized; the other is effectively erased. That is framing, not journalism.
If this matter is before the courts, as you highlight, then responsible commentary would require restraint, accuracy, and balance, not insinuation and narrative shaping.
Also worth noting: if your concern is truly about school safety, then consistency would require coverage across all schools in Jamaica, not selective focus when a recognizable name can drive traffic. I am sure there is a fight at your alma mater for you to cover.
At present, what you have produced reads less like neutral commentary and more like click-driven positioning built on an incomplete record.
Before demanding accountability from institutions, a good starting point would be basic editorial fairness: Did you read—and why did you not publish—the Jamaica College press release?
Because that is where the documented facts begin.
I really wanted to respond to you, but it is very difficult to respond. First, this is a blog and not a news media house. I never told anyone I am neutral. I try to be fair. You seemed to be more interested in discussing the blog rather than discussing the horrible incident. Yes, I have written about violence at my alma mater. This is not the only article written about the matter. Spend some time looking at the incident. Tell the school to send me a copy of their press release. like others do. I would suggest you spend some time being a part of the solution. You are obviously new to reading Bark Di Trute. Trying to tear down Bark Di Trute will not help your cause!
DeleteThanks for the clarification—you’re “not neutral.” That part is now clear.
DeleteThis is a serious incident, and Jamaica College has treated it as such, in accordance with Ministry of Education protocols and due process. The issue is not whether the matter is serious—the issue is whether it is being accurately represented.
You suggest I should focus on the incident. I have. That’s precisely why I pointed you to the documented record, which you have admittedly not reviewed.
For convenience, here is the official press release:
https://www.jcobany.org/post/statement-from-the-jamaica-college-board-of-management
It is fact-based, grounded in contemporaneous statements and multiple eyewitness accounts, and was issued to correct the record—not control it.
Your position, however, remains inconsistent:
• You characterize the school as silent, yet criticize it for issuing a statement
• You publish one side in full, while omitting the school’s documented account
• You frame the incident broadly, while the verified evidence points to a contained 1:1 altercation
That is not about being a “blog” versus “media house.” That is about basic fairness and completeness.
If we are serious about “being part of the solution,” then the starting point is simple: engage the full record—not a curated version of it.
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What the public should take away:
• The incident was isolated and contained
• The facts are documented and internally consistent
• The school followed all required procedures
• Some public narratives are not aligned with verified evidence
Bottom line:
• 1:1 altercation—not gang violence or bullying
• Facts supported by contemporaneous evidence
• Due process followed
• Current reporting materially diverges from the documented record
No one is “tearing down” your platform. But once you enter the public square, your framing is open to scrutiny—just like everyone else’s.