Michelle-Ann Letman and Dwight Nelson, Gleaner Writers

A male student from the Old Harbour High School has been suspended for 10 days after an incident on Wednesday in which he struck a teacher on the head with a stone.

As a result of the incident, Heritage Week celebrations at the school were interrupted yesterday as several teachers staged a sit-in to vent their anger and support for their colleague.

After the attack, the teacher was rushed to seek medical attention and received several stitches to the forehead.

Vice-Principal Linton Weir was reluctant to admit that the teachers had staged a sit-in, but said classes were not held due to several mee-tings with students and teachers.

"We had a staff meeting this morning because the teachers were reluctant to work because of the incident which occurred," Weir told The Gleaner.

"The management of the school had given the teachers an assurance that the process will be dealt with in accordance with the rules stipulated by the Ministry of Education."

A senior teacher at the St Catherine-based institution, who requested anonymity, told The Gleaner yesterday that the 10th-grade student was asked to leave the classroom because of his disruptive behaviour.

She said the incident occurred about mid-afternoon when the student returned with a stone after being asked to leave the class. The student threw the stone, hitting the teacher on the head.

According to the senior educator, the male mathematics and science teacher has been sent home on sick leave.

President of the National Parent-Teacher Association, Miranda Sutherland, yesterday told The Gleaner that repeated incidents of violence against teachers in schools are a reflection of the values and attitudes being passed on to children in society.

"It is the bad examples that are set by adults that children copy," she said.

In addition, Sutherland encouraged parents to counsel their children daily, and reinforce the value of good manners.

Commenting earlier this year on the level of violence affecting the nation's schools, Minister of Education Andrew Holness said students who get involved in acts of violence on school compounds should be dealt with by the police.

The Old Harbour police are investigating the incident.