Child beaten for playing with drum

The parents of a grade three student, who was beaten for touching a drum, say their child did not deserve to be punished in that manner.

THE STAR understands that the nine-year-old girl, who is pupil at Rousseau Primary School in St Andrew, received an injury to her arm when she was being reprimanded by a teacher for beating a drum.

The child’s father, who has been in dialogue with the school, said: “Mi daughter nuh deserve that. Mi nah pree no wealth, mi just want ensure mi daughter health is OK now and later on.”

He is also upset because he believes his daughter was wrongfully accused.

“My daughter is a smart girl, and she active in sports. I know is not her touch the drum. She said: ‘Daddy, is the little boy touch the drum.’ I was mad when I saw her with the swelling and she holding up her hand. I saw the teacher and talk to her. Maybe if a did somebody else, a different thing. But because a just the school, and we haffi go through the process. Mi haffi stand up for my daughter. She have sports day tomorrow and can’t participate,” he said.

While saddened by the incident, the administration at the school is hoping for the best results from a medical the child has done.

MEMBER OF STAFF

When our news team contacted the principal, Owen Speid, he confirmed that the child was hit by a member of his staff.

“The child was hitting a drum at the beginning of the session, and they (students) were told not to interfere with the drums. The teacher was preventing the child from beating the drum, and in the course of events, she hit her one time and held on to her,” he said.

“I can’t say that the injury is directly related to what the teacher has done... Cannot guarantee that the incident that occur caused the hand to be broken. I was not on spot.”

It is understood that the child went for lunch after the incident and later said complained about being injured.

THE STAR understands that she was later taken to the Nuttall Memorial Hospital in St Andrew.

The child’s mother explained that when she took the child to the Bustamante Hospital for Children later that day, the explanation she received was that a tissue may have been ruptured.

“I took her to Children’s (Bustamante Hospital for Children) when she came home with the casting on. They told me to get the report from the hospital because she already had on the cast, but I still took her because she told me that she was still feeling pain,” the mother said.

NOT BEEN REPORTED

“A di father haffi really explain because he was there when they took her to hospital. She left OK for school and was active the entire weekend. Is when I saw her in cast, I go to her father bout it.”

Up to press time yesterday, the matter was not reported to the Ministry of Education. This was confirmed by the principal.

“No, it has not been reported. I haven’t really been in office as yet. It has been only a day since the incident. I spoke to the parent, and I agreed to fit the bill even though we not sure. Between the school and the parent, we are trying to work it out,” Speid said.

He said that he has spoken publicly against beating the students and has advised his staff to refrain from using corporal punishment.

He also said teacher at the centre of the incident has been at the institution for 26 years and has a good track record.

“This is the first time. That teacher is the type of teacher that take the kids to Devon House and other places,” he said.