Scores of Kingston Technical High School students on Wednesday following an incident at the institution which left five boys nursing stab wounds. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

The following is a letter to the editor from Mr. Robert Gregory, chairman of the board of Kingston Technical High School, relating to recent incidents at the institution.

THE EDITOR, Sir:

WE WISH to respond to particular aspects of your editorial of March 26, 2007 entitled "Confronting school indiscipline."

While we welcome your newspaper highlighting this critical national issue, the administration, staff and, we dare say, the vast majority of the student body and parents are on the front line with this issue every day.

The Ministry of Education, under the Safe Schools Pro-gramme, along with its various supportive guidelines to facilitate our nation's schools to appropriately respond to this critical issue at the school level, indicates the level at which the national community is engaged.

Kingston Technical High School has had its own challenges in recent times and the school's administration has, in every instance, responded decisively within the ministry's guidelines.

Inaccurate and unfortunate

Your editorial depiction of Mr. Robert Allen, our vice-principal, as well as certain allegations of activities set out, are both inaccurate and unfortunate as they have the potential to undermine the authority and integrity of the leadership and the integrity of the school's administration and ultimately, our contribution towards the eradication of indiscipline in our school and the restoration of a safe and dignified institution of learning.

This is the sequence of the recent events to which you referred in your editorial:

On Thursday, March 22, at 12:35 p.m., students were caught cheating in a monthly test conducted by the male teacher in question. He confiscated their papers. He gave a verbal report to one of the vice-principals who immediately initiated an investigation. The teacher was asked to assist in identifying his assailants. However, he headed straight for the police station. Two boys were subsequently taken for questioning by the police.

On the same day, at approximately 1:10 p.m., while the vice-principal was investigating that incident, the female teacher referred to in the article, reported to the same vice-principal that she had gone to her class and while there, a student asked if she would remain with them if it started raining. She told them that she would return to the staff room. Subsequently, a boy stacked three desks at the doorway; the teacher removed the desks and left the classroom.

Later, at the open undercroft near the quadrangle (not at the Temple) a boy held on to the teacher's hand and she pulled away from him. Another stood in front of her and held her hand. Again, she extricated her hand from his, but was embraced by the said student. At the same time, another student embraced her from behind. She pushed them away and left.

When The Gleaner arrived at the school, Mr. Allen, vice-principal, was still unaware of either incidents, as they had not yet been reported to him. So when The Gleaner questioned him about an alleged attempted rape, he informed them that he had no knowledge of it.

Good community relations

It was also alleged that community leaders are regular figures on the campus. Let me state that the school has a harmonious relationship with the community. There are occasions in which members of the community are seen on the campus, but we do not know them as community leaders and there is no regularity to these visits. However, on two occasions, individuals from the community have ha with teachers and students. These matters were addressed and the individuals warned to stay away from the school.

Another incident, which disrupted school, occurred on Wednesday, March 28. This was related to a feud among seven boys. It must be noted that the school board had previously suspended them for five days, and they had merely been given permission to attend school in order to complete their mock exams. The police were called in and the boys were subsequently arrested and charged for Wednesday's incident. The boys have been given the maximum suspension from school and the school board is awaiting the finalisation of a full report of all the events of recent days.

I am, etc.,

ROBERT GREGORY

Chairman