NOTE: QUESTIONS MUST BE addressed using the guide for answering legal

questions (FILAC Method Facts, Issue, Law, Analysis, Conclusion)

The five-year-old student of San Fernando Boy's RC primary school, who

slashed his five-year-old classmate with a blade from a pencil sharpener, has

been suspended.

This was the decision made following a meeting between Education Ministry

representatives, staff members of the school and parents of both children.

The two boys are also to receive counselling.

On Monday morning the students were playing in the classroom before school

started when one of them broke the sharpener and used the blade to slice the

back of the other boy's head.

It is believed the boys were playing a game called "barber" when the incident

took place.

The injured child was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital, where

doctors treated and later discharged him.

He was cut from the top of his head almost to the base of his neck. TT Unified

Teachers' Association first vice president Kyrla Robertson-Thomas confirmed

that the five-year-old was suspended.

However, she told Newsday that while the situation was one that any parent

would not be comfortable with based on the investigations it seems that the

children were playing a dangerous game.

She said the incident occurred before classes started.

"They used a common school tool as a sharpener and decided that they will

play barber with each other unfortunately it resulted in this poor young man

having this cut down the back of his head." She said the act was not deliberate

or malicious but it was the result of a game gone wrong.

The parents of the injured child wants to commence legal action and as a result

they visit Mr. Big Shot, Attorney at Law who advises them that they can sue for

damages. The injured child's parents would like a second opinion and as such,

they visit you for advice.