SOME 400 students failed to show up for classes at the Maverley Primary and Junior High school in Kingston yesterday following last week's flare-up of violence in the community and reported threats against the life of Egbert Downie, the principal.
Mr. Downie, who was warned in poorly written graffiti on a school wall Friday that he should not show up for school and that he would "soon die", told The Gleaner yesterday that his student population had decreased by 40 per cent since Friday but that school would remain open.
He denied reports that he received a threat by telephone and that the threat was the reason why school was dismissed on Friday at 11:30 a.m. instead of at 2:10 p.m.
"There was unrest among the staff and students who were hearing gunshots. Upon consultation with the teachers and administration, I thought it best and decided to end at 11:30 a.m., their regular lunch time," Mr. Downie explained. He said he regarded the graffiti threat as a prank, written perhaps by students who had been previously disciplined.
"It was erroneously reported. I would not allow the school to close because of threats against my life. Not that I'm putting myself at risk but I can't allow fear to control my actions. I'm not the most important person here. The students are my primary focus...because we are preparing (them) for society. We are concerned but the school must go on," Mr. Downie, described as a devout Christian, said.
The violence linked to a gang feud in the community which erupted last week continued over the weekend, the Constabulary Communication Network reported.
It reported that two men were shot when they allegedly fired on police during an attempted robbery. According to the police, they challenged two Maverley residents, Keron Foreman, 24, also called "Nankipoo" or "Taj", and Nyron Edwards, 23, whom they said they saw robbing a Gleaner vendor near the Pembroke Hall High school on Ken Hill Drive. The men responded with gunfire, the police fired back and Foreman was fatally shot while Edwards was taken to the hospital, the police said.
Mr. Downie said things were relatively calm at the school despite the fears and concerns of administrative staff and teachers. However there was increased presence of police and military patrols in the area.
School was dismissed at 1:30 p.m. yesterday so a staff meeting could be called to discuss concerns and reassure the staff, who, like the students, were heartened to see that he was alright.
The principal said that no other threats had been issued to him, but he would still be taking precautions. "You have to realise that what you do in life is a mission. If you are committed to education, you can't live in an ivory tower. God is in control so you will do just what you have to. The bulk of students really care and, come what may, Jamaica is still a lovely society so if even one person is in my school, I am heartened," he said.
