JAMAICA-COURT-Student charged with murdering her fellow student

KINGSTON, Jamaica– A 17-year-old Kingston Technical High School (KTHS) student has been charged with murder following the stabbing death of her fellow student last Thursday.

The student will appear before the Corporate Area Criminal Court on Friday to answer the charges.

Michigan Campbell was stabbed during a fight between students on the school compound. The incident has traumatized students and teachers, with Education Minister Fayval Williams promising to roll out a program designed to help students de-escalate conflict following a visit to the school on Monday.

“I have reached out to the minister of justice. The Ministry of Justice has a restorative justice program that can help our students understand how to de-escalate conflict situations when they arise, how to interact with each other peacefully, how to resolve disagreements, how to speak to each other, and how to work together rather than it resulting in fights and arguments.

“I don’t believe we have taught you enough about how to handle those situations in which you find yourselves,” she said, promising to help the Kingston Technical High School “so that you can even go back home and help to teach your parents how to interact with each other.”

The minister said that the program is designed to assist students that “when you come to school you are not feeling angry and upset and want to take it out on somebody else.

“You are in a stage of your life that should be enjoying and fulfilling your potential,” Williams added.

“Our work in schools is stymied. We could be doing workshops to help teachers recognize problem behaviors and understand the source and type of conflict and problem-solving strategies,” she said.

Meanwhile, attorney Kymberli Whittaker, representing the student, told the Gleaner newspaper, “She is understandably devastated at the turn of events.”

“The matter is not as clear cut as it seems. On Friday, when it goes before the court, some legal issues will come up, then we’ll have an understanding of the statements before the courts,” Whittaker told the newspaper.