SIXTEEN-year-old schoolboy Shane George, whom another student had fatally wounded in an altercation over brand name clothing outside the Morgan Learning Centre in John Street, Campbellville one week ago, was laid to rest yesterday amidst heart-rending weeping, wailing, and the proverbial gnashing of teeth.

But even as relatives, fellow students and sympathizers mourned and wept, the incident with its concomitant sentiments and resolutions did precious little to impact the minds of some others – misguided in the belief that a show of ignorance and arrogance is a sign of empowerment in today’s world; or deter them from becoming similarly involved or engaged in acts of violence, inevitably to their own jeopardy and to the detriment of their academic and social advancement in life.

GUNNING FOR TROUBLE
Appalling new information reaching this newspaper suggests that police detained for questioning two students at a secondary school in Greater Georgetown yesterday afternoon, after a male first-former was discovered with a revolver on his person during the morning hours at school.
Whilst it was not suggested that the juvenile had attempted to cause harm to anyone with the weapon, the big questions being asked are as follows: Whose weapon was it, and just how did he get it?  What motivated him to walk around with such a deadly weapon in the first place? And why did he take it to school?
Apparently, the child was either handing or showing the weapon to a female classmate when another student saw it and reported the matter to the class teacher. The police were called in, and both children were initially questioned before being taken to a nearby police station.
When this newspaper arrived on scene, sessions at school had already been dismissed, since classes were held for only half-day yesterday. There were just a few people outside the compound.
Attempts to get a comment from the Department of Education (Secondary and/or the Welfare Department) proved futile, as this newspaper was told that the officers had left the ministry to attend to a matter in the fields.

THE DOGS OF WAR
Meanwhile, in yet another unsavoury incident involving violence among school children, our report is that a gang of boys from a secondary school in South Georgetown turned up outside the compound of a nearby primary school armed with a baseball bat and other objects, and threatened to beat students there. As tempers flared and threats were exchanged, the matter was quickly brought to the attention of the headmistress of the primary school, who immediately moved to bring an end to the rabble.
This newspaper also visited that school and requested to see the headmistress, but she directed our reporter to the Department of Education. Again, our efforts at getting a comment from the Ministry of Education were unsuccessful, and our calls for an end to violence in our schools were similarly unsuccessful.

THE POLICE NEED HELP
Asked for a comment, Police spokesperson Mr. John Sauers said he had only vaguely heard of the incident involving the group of students, but he promised to make enquires to determine what, if anything had transpired at the secondary school.
He said that while it is not surprising to hear schoolboys having misunderstandings at school, it is a matter of grave concern to learn of the other development, wherein a child would take such a deadly weapon to school.