Let the killing of schoolboy Renaldo Dixon by his schoolmate serve as a lesson to young people to put down the weapons and stop violence in schools. That message echoed throughout Dixon’s funeral service at his home at Bagna Trace, Chase Village, Chaguanas, yesterday as mourners tried to come to terms with the tragedy.
With tears streaming down her face, Dixon’s mother, Camille Marsha Taitt, made a passionate plea to young people, including her other son Ricardo, 16, also a student of Waterloo High School. She said: “Young ones I hope by Renaldo’s death you all take this as an example. We going to school to learn. We not going to school just for boyfriend or girlfriend. “I sent him to school expecting him to come back home, but here he is.”
On Monday Dixon, 14, was stabbed to death by a 16-year-old schoolmate at the Waterloo school during an argument over girl. Taitt urged Dixon’s schoolmates to let his death encourage them to do well in school. “The hatred we have, we need to drop it. Let Renaldo get his justice. He will get his justice by the grace of God he will. I need some kind of peace. I need closure. No parent shouldn’t have to be going through this.”
She encouraged students to turn to their parents or teachers if they have a problem. Bus driver Beverly Moraldo, who transported Dixon to school, said her daughter also attended the school and was also a victim of bullying. Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial said the Education Ministry has set in place a series of events to tackle school violence, including anti-bulling campaign. However, as parents, teachers, community leaders, she said, people must be proactive.
School principal Krishendath Basdeo said at the school they try to mould children in decent, law-abiding citizens. Saying it was a challenging task to ensure that students arrived and leave school safely, he hoped something useful and positive would come out of Dixon’s death.