Monday's news of a student who was stabbed to death at school, allegedly by one of his classmates, is truly disturbing.

While this story is not the first of its kind, the impact it has on anyone with a heart and conscience is undeniable. The televised images of the story did much to show the grief the students and teachers of the school were facing, with many wiping streams of tears from their faces.

According to a story published in Tuesday's STAR, the boys were both in class when an argument developed, reportedly over a cellular phone. It is alleged that one boy used a knife to stab the now deceased and allegedly attempted to flee, but was caught by the School Resource Officer, (SRO), assigned to the institution by the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

It seems as though the Safe Schools Programme has been doing well as it has been a while since we have heard stories of this nature. In times gone by, incidents of students being killed or injured by fellow students were occurring with frightening frequency.

Onus on students

Though the SROs seem to be doing well, they can only do so much. The onus is really on every student to realise that there are better, more mature ways of settling disputes and this attitude must be taught and reinforced in the home.

School officials are not miracle workers or magicians. they can only work with what they are given, and if there is no support at home, then all their work will be in vain.