CedarBridge Academy has suspended two male students indefinitely after violence erupted during the second day of school.

The boys, both 16, were involved in a fight at the new senior secondary school at Prospect on Tuesday and had to be separated by security guards. The incident was one of several reported to Police that day.

In another incident two female students, involved in a fight which started at Parson's Road, Pembroke, required treatment at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. Both Pembroke girls, one 15 and the other 14, were with a group of students when the two began to fight. They were separated by their colleagues, according to Police, and the 15 year old went home. But she was summoned back outside to face a group of students, including the 14 year old. Police spokesperson Evelyn James Barnett said another fight ensued and the 14 year old was struck across the forehead. The 15 year old was also struck several times until the two were again separated.

The 15 year old returned to her home, but was followed inside and struck on her head again before the group dispersed, Mrs. James Barnett added. Police found the 14 year old who had fallen unconscious due to injuries which included a bump and puncture wound to her forehead. She was taken to hospital by ambulance while the 15 year old, who received several bumps to her head and a laceration, was taken there by Police.

Pupils suspended after punch-up Both girls were treated and released.

And while there was no word yesterday on their condition nor their future at CedarBridge, principal Ernest Payette stressed that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

Mr. Payette told The Royal Gazette investigations were continuing into the incidents.

"We're continuing with the investigation to get all of the facts,'' he said about the incident at the school. "And we will continue with the suspensions until we have all of the information available to us.

"If it warrants it, I will look for expulsion. But I have to have honest information before I make a decision that profound. But I'm not going to treat it lightly.'' Earlier in the day, Mr. Payette told students that staff at the school wanted to provide them with "the best educational opportunity'', both in terms of facilities and programmes.

Pointing out that some students stopped him in the hallway afterward and told him they appreciated his comments, he said: "I believe the majority of the young people at the school want to learn. And they want a quality education.

And they are going to try. We just have to take that disruptive element out so that they are not subjected to it.'' Mr. Payette also received the backing of National PTA president Anthony Steede yesterday.

Mr. Steede said he did not believe behavioural problems were unique to CedarBridge.

"We still need to try to give the school the benefit of the doubt before we start saying we told you that was going to happen,'' he said. "I think it is a very small nucleus (causing problems). And that is something we will work toward, and certainly the school will work toward eradicating that attitude from the school immediately.'' However, he stressed that the National PTA did not condone violence.

"We believe that students and their parents need to get the message that it will not be tolerated,'' Mr. Steede said.

He also expected the CedarBridge matter to come up at an executive meeting last night which had been scheduled before the incidents.

"We will get some feedback on where we need to head and what we can do to offer assistance,'' he added.

Education Minister Jerome Dill said parents' assistance was vital.

"This sort of thing is just indicative of a problem in our community which we in education will do our part to try to solve,'' he said. "But unless you get people out of the mindset where they think it is the problem of the school, we're going to make no progress. Everybody has their part to play.

"At the end of the day let us not forget that a child does not walk into CedarBridge as a blank canvas,'' Mr. Dill added.

"A child who has had a history of behaviour difficulties, we are not going to snap our fingers and suddenly all is going to be well simply because we admitted that child to CedarBridge.

"Let us not forget about individual responsibility and responsibility of parents.'' Mr. Dill also pointed out that "a very small minority of students'' were causing problems.

And while Bermuda Union of Teachers president Michael Charles agreed, he said the Education Ministry should have been aware that they were "taking little pockets of problems from each school'' and placing them at CedarBridge.

"The Ministry must have been aware that this would happen,'' Mr. Charles said. "And if they were not, it is just another incident of poor planning on their part.

"We hope that it was an isolated incident and we hope that Mr. Payette and his staff can somehow come to grips with what's going on up there,'' he added.

"While it is a societal problem, it is something which the school and the Ministry has to deal with so it does not escalate into something which is a regular occurrence.''