‘I am a ninja turtle’

He jumped on me and threw me to the ground. Then he started to kick and cuff me up. As he jumped up on my elbow and said how he is a ninja turtle.” “He used to tap me up and pass and trip me and things like that all the time. He used to take my lunch money sometimes too.” Tristan said he has made complaints to teachers about the past acts of bullying.

“They talk to the two of us in the office and sent us back to class. That is all.” The Ministry of Education has vowed to launch a full investigation to hear from all relevant parties before making a statement.

Principal of the Mayaro Government Primary School yesterday refused to comment.

Tristan’s mother Shareefa Ali, said Education Minister Anthony Garcia spoke with her yesterday morning and invited her and husband Christopher to a meeting with the other student’s parents. “I don’t want no meeting with them right now,” Christopher Khan said, adding that at no time did the bully student’s parents make any attempt to get in touch with them to see if Tristan was ok, to offer help or even to apologise.

Khan said he receiving advice from a lawyer on how best to proceed.

“This is not the first time.

We do not want this to happen to anybody else’s child,” said Ali.

“We think our son could be a gateway to getting bullying stopped in school.” Ali said Tristan is scheduled to have wires and pins removed next week and his arm put in a new cast. The pins and wires were used to secure the elbow socket to keep it in place during the healing process. Doctors cannot guarantee complete repair of all of Tristan’s nerves, but his family is hoping for the best.

“We would like to say thank you to the doctors and nurses at Sangre Grande Hospital for their wonderful treatment,” said Ali. “We cannot remember the doctor’s name who led the surgery, but thank you and thank you especially to Dr Kristy Metivier who was on the ward overnight and was very helpful to us and our son.” Minister in the Ministry of Education Dr Lovell Francis yesterday said he got a preliminary report from the school principal which is “very different” from the media’s version. He is awaiting an official report from the school’s supervisor on Monday before making further pronouncements.

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"‘I am a ninja turtle’"

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