THE family of Richard Virtue, the 26-year-old teacher who was beaten at the Garlogie Primary and Junior High in Banana Ground in Manchester on Wednesday, say they are more worried about his psychological suffering than his physical scars.

One of the teacher's older sisters, herself a trained teacher, told the Observer over the weekend that while the physical pain was great for her brother, the psychological pain was overwhelming.

"He just wants it to stop," said the woman, who asked that her name be withheld from the publication.
Speaking on behalf of her family, particularly her siblings, Virtue's sister expressed a range of emotions at the incident, from anger to disappointment, hurt and disdain.

"My biggest disappointment is that six of my parents' children are trained teachers and it is something that came naturally to us. We put so much of our own personal selves into teaching and to see that for all the effort we put in, this is what he has got back out of it, it's disappointing," she said.

Reports are that Virtue was attacked by a group of men on the school compound on Wednesday as he conducted the morning devotion. The men, who were allegedly acting in defence of a grade nine student who was disciplined the previous day, stabbed, chopped and severely beat the teacher.

"He is at home now but he spent most of Thursday at the hospital doing a number of tests," his sister said.
The Williamsfield police say they have the names of some of the men who were allegedly involved and witnesses willing to testify.

Virtue is in his fifth year at Garlogie where he teaches social studies and science.

The Jamaica Teachers' Association, meanwhile, condemned the incident and urged the Ministry of Education to fast-track plans to install metal detectors in some of the nation's schools by April.

"The association views this latest act of criminality against another school community as additional evidence that our teachers and students are in extraordinary danger from a growing number of marauders who do not believe in the rule of law and the value of education," said the JTA in a statement.

The JTA also called on the police to do regular patrols of schools located in communities plagued by crime.

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