Andre' Williams, STAR Writer

Parents these days are seemingly worried whenever they send their children out to these modern day learning institutions, chief among them secondary schools, as the knife appears to be the weapon of choice when settling disputes, which in at least one recent case ended fatal.

THE WEEKEND STAR, over the course of the past few days, have been receiving complaints from parents who are extremely concerned, that students are keen on wounding one another or others, turning to violence as the only recourse for disputes.

One such case is of the Penwood High school student, 16-year-old Nario Coleman, who was brutally stabbed and killed by a fellow student following a confrontation at the institution.

The brutal act was captured on a student's cell phone, as others watched their fellow schoolmate's life vanish before their eyes.

The Penwood High video, now having gone viral, has made the rounds on several websites, depicting the harsh reality that the parent and family of the deceased child has to now live with.

death threats

Our news team gathered that since then, death threats have been directed to the school principal Austin Burrell, who has since tendered his resignation with immediate effect.

The education ministry when contacted by our news team, confirmed that a resignation has been received and that they are working with the school board to have someone oversee the operations of the school until the recruitment process for a provisional principal is initiated.

On Wednesday, in the eastern section of the island, another teen was also stabbed in his neck on the school grounds while school was reportedly in progress.

THE WEEKEND STAR gathered that over in St Thomas, a student from Robert Lightbourne High School was allegedly stabbed with a knife by a suspended 17-year-old student who returned to the school and carried out the attack.

The attacker is now in police custody while the victim remains hospitalised.

blind eye

A parent took to social network site Facebook commenting on this incident, declaring, "What is the Government planning on doing? Our children are no longer safe in our schools ... Are they going to let this continue ... Why are they turning a blind eye to this when they have stripped the school's administration of all their power? We need HELP!!"

The violent students aren't only targetting other students, however, as recently, a few Calabar students attacked, robbed and stabbed a JUTC driver.

On Tuesday, four Calabar students were charged by investigators from the St Andrew Central police following the incident involving JUTC driver 46-year-old Errol Lemard.

Three boys have been charged with, malicious wounding, robbery with aggravation and wounding with intent while the other boy, taken into custody, was charged with carrying an offensive weapon.

A parent who spoke to our news team was distraught, adding that this incident has soiled the reputation of one of the island's top school.

Speaking to THE WEEKEND STAR by telephone, she said, "I couldn't believe when I hear dat is those Red Hills Road boys ... What are we feeding our children, these teens are obviously lacking some core values ... That's not how children should carry themselves and deal with members of the public."

Another parent Lydia Murray told THE WEEKEND STAR that even though in the United States students carry out sporadic shootings, she is contemplating migration with her son and daughter there.

She said, "After mi watch the video wid the Penwood High youth I'm afraid fi even send mi kids go shop. School was once considered a place of safety and now a deh so the pickney dem a dead ... Every term is another alarming incident ... Mi fraid mi get a phone call a say dem dead ... Mi woulda mad ... Mi can just imagine how that mother feel fi see har pickney dead ... Mi a think hard fi pack up and run go farin."