Parent beats principal at school

A mother of four who admitted to beating a school principal during a fracas at the school will have to pay the principal's mounting medical bills when they return to the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court next month.

Jennifer Hylton-Lee, principal at the Melrose Primary and Infant School in Kingston, told the court that on February 1, the parent, Jayciann Edwards, slammed the school gate in her forehead, slapped her several times, and bit her on her hand.

She added that she is still feeling the effects of the terrible blows, and has had to take 20 days sick leave from school. She said she is also to undergo a neurological examination as she has been experiencing bouts of dizziness following the ordeal.

Hylton-Lee explained that on the day in question, she, along with the vice-principal and dean of discipline, were checking uniforms at the school gate when Edwards approached.

"I decided I wasn't going to allow her in because she had threatened a child. She came up and pushed the gate, and pushed me. She was making a barrage of noise. Security couldn't get her off the compound," Hylton-Lee told the court.

Assault charges

She continued, "She slapped me several times. She bit me, and I held on to her false hair to get her off me."

However, Edwards, who has also filed assault charges against the principal, gave an alternate version of what transpired. She said she took her children to school, but was told that they would not be allowed inside without their crests, so she returned home to get them.

Edwards said she returned to the school and opened the gate to let her children in, however, the principal said she was being disrespectful, and locked her inside the school grounds, while her children stood outside crying.

"I started pulling the gate, and when I let it go, it slapped her [the principal] in her face. She grabbed my hair and I bit her," Edwards said.

The presiding judge Judith Pusey admonished both parties.

"We have to stop this nonsense where anything happen we go to the school and bad up teacher. You have to show some respect," she said to the parent. She then told the principal that she should always be of circumspect behaviour.

Pusey told the principal to calculate her medical expenses so that she can be compensated. Both parties are to return on April 4, when the matter will continue.