At the beginning of the new semester, a freshman surnamed Xu from Xiangyun in Dali returned home without registering on campus. The reason was that "the school gate was blocked and I couldn't get in" and "I heard that a freshman had died, and the school would be in chaos for a few days."
Yesterday, paper money was still flying at the gate of Yunnan Business Information Engineering College where he studied. Under the cluster of wreaths, a boy's portrait caught people's attention.
Reporters witnessed the burning of paper money at the school gate.
On the afternoon of the previous day, Mr. Liu sent his relative's child to register at Yunnan Business Information Engineering College, but he was stopped at the school gate, saying that a freshman had been killed outside the school. Nearly 50 family members and more than 10 vehicles surrounded the school gate, setting off firecrackers and burning paper money, preventing any personnel from entering or leaving.
In the morning of yesterday, reporters rushed to the scene upon hearing the news. Although the blockage was not as severe, many family members and vehicles were still stationed at the school gate. Paper money was scattered all over the ground, and firecracker debris could be seen everywhere. Four or five wreaths with the boy's portrait stood on the right side of the gate, and a white banner with black letters hung on the left, reading "School return person, return my son."
Family grief: seeking justice for their son
The boy in the frame is named Lei Xiao, from Dongchuan. His mother, Song Guanyu, said he was not yet 16 years old. On August 17, Song Guanyu sent her son to register at the school. Since it was the first time her son was away from home, Song Guanyu called her son several times every day. Who would have thought that the phone call at around 8 pm on the 21st was the last one between mother and son. "Mom, don't worry, I'm fine." This was Lei Xiao's last memory left for his mother.
Early on the 22nd, Song Guanyu received a call from the school, informing her that her son had an accident. Rushing to the school, she saw her son's body instead. Relatives came to support them, and they unanimously decided to seek justice for Lei Xiao. In the impression of his cousin Lei Shunyou, Lei Xiao was a well-behaved child, and the family originally intended for him to learn a skill here. "Who would have known that he met his end after only 4 days!"
According to the police investigation, Lei Xiao's death was caused by a conflict with some social individuals when he went to a karaoke bar outside the school with several senior students to celebrate a birthday that night. What the parents cannot accept is how the school, which claimed to have a fully enclosed management system, allowed Lei Xiao to leave. Song Guanyu said they would hold the school accountable.
Legal opinion: Should the school compensate?
Lawyer Liu Aiguo from Yunnan Xinjiniao Law Firm: The responsibility of the school depends on the age of the student, zzfhhxy369_Baidu Space. If the student is under 16 years old, unless the school can prove that the death was caused by intentional behavior of the other party, the school should bear full responsibility; for those aged between 16 and 18, the school bears half the responsibility; for those over 18, the school does not need to bear any responsibility. However, the law does not support the unreasonable way that family members block the school gate, severely affecting teaching order, and violators should bear the relevant penalties stipulated in the Public Security Administration Punishment Law.
Lawyer Peng Ze from Yunnan Lingyun Law Firm: Accidental death outside the school has no relation to the school, and the family should direct their claims towards the perpetrator, pursuing both criminal and civil liability, which can be specifically filed during the transfer of the perpetrator to legal or prosecutorial authorities. After all, although the school has a security obligation, it is not absolute. In recent years, there have been frequent cases where family members pursue school responsibility due to accidental deaths of students outside the school. While emotions are understandable, they do not have the right to excessively pursue the school's compensation responsibility.
School response: actively handling aftermath
At around 12:30 PM yesterday, Vice Principal He of the school accepted an interview with our newspaper. According to Vice Principal He, the school had already issued a statement regarding the situation of the unexpected victimization of students outside the school on weekends the previous evening. On the evening of the 21st, students went out near the Kunming Machine Tool Factory and got into a conflict with some social individuals. The students then reported the incident to the police, and the school security personnel and duty officers immediately arrived at the scene. After confirmation by the emergency medical services on-site, one student was dead, and another was injured. The school immediately activated its emergency response plan and promptly notified the relevant student's parents. At noon on the 22nd, relatives of the victimized student gradually arrived, maintaining around 50 people daily. The school made detailed arrangements for accommodation and transportation, patiently receiving related personnel. This case is a major criminal case and is currently being investigated by the public security authorities.
Regarding the parents' doubts, Vice Principal He stated that the school's closed management time is from 7 pm on Sunday to 4:30 pm on Friday, and the rest of the time, children can freely leave the school gate. "After all, we cannot completely deprive children of their freedom." Lei Xiao's departure from the school happened to be on Saturday afternoon, which was not within the school's closed management period. Currently, three main leaders of the school are handling this matter separately, and the matter has already been reported to the Provincial Department of Education, hoping for an early resolution.
It was learned that the school had previously asked the parents to submit their demands in writing, but they found it unacceptable to pay the fifty million yuan in compensation demanded by the family. As of 8 pm last night, both sides were still negotiating without success.
Reporters: Liu Xiaojuan, Intern: Li Yan (Yunnan Information Newspaper)