Jamaica College has denied that bullies on campus badly beat and injured a student. The institution, located in St Andrew, issued a formal statement arguing that the situation has been inaccurately portrayed by TVJ News.
In the release, the school suggested that the student was not targeted, claiming that what happened was a misunderstanding that escalated between two individuals. School officials say their internal findings, which cited the accounts of witnesses, did not support the version of events the media presented about bullies.
The administration explained that the situation reportedly began during lunchtime when a student unknowingly dropped a $2,000 bill while heading to get food. Another boy nearby attempted to alert him, but the message was misinterpreted by a third student, who is reportedly the injured teen at the centre of the incident. The student who was walking past with his lunch believed the comment was directed at him. He acted on the assumption and picked up the money.
Moments later, the original owner realised the cash was missing and approached the student who had taken it. According to the school’s account, the interaction quickly became heated, with both boys reportedly grabbing at each other as one tried to reclaim the money.
The statement said the confusion was later cleared up when the student who picked up the cash checked and discovered his own money was still in his possession. He apologised for the misunderstanding and returned the $2,000.
The school says that, despite the apology, the original owner attacked the third student shortly after the money was handed back. When the owner reportedly struck the other, the third student retaliated by throwing his lunch at him. Another blow was delivered, resulting in the injury.
School officials emphasised that, based on written statements and multiple eyewitness accounts, the confrontation involved only the two students. They noted that the injured student’s own account did not describe being surrounded or attacked by a group.
The institution also rejected suggestions that the incident was linked to ongoing bullying, stating that there is no evidence from the reports collected to support claims of a wider pattern of intimidation or bullying in this case.
Jamaica College says it continues to review the matter while encouraging a careful approach to how such incidents are reported and discussed publicly.