JAMAICA — Despite the inclement weather, students in Grange Hill, Westmoreland, who were forced to abandon classes last week as a result of the violence that impacted their community last Tuesday, returned to school yesterday morning, the Jamaica Gleaner reported on May 8.
However, while the students were quite relieved to be back in the classroom, several educators expressed concerns about the possible long-term effect on the youngsters of last week’s violence, which resulted in seven persons being shot dead and several left nursing bullet wounds.
Paulette Hilton, senior guidance counsellor at Grange Hill Primary School, told The Gleaner yesterday that, while classes have resumed, a sense of fear still hung over the students.
“It is really sad, because we really want to return to normal. But what has happened has taken a toll on the children, and on their parents, too,” said Hilton.
“On Thursday when we came back [following the shootings], I did a debriefing session with the few children who were here. We talked about what had happened, and we talked about the child Nicoy Bourne (who was killed),” Hilton disclosed.
