Renowned civil rights activist Rev Martin Luther King Jr once said: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” I do not want to be silent. I refuse to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to social injustice.

On May 15, 2015, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced the construction of eight new classrooms at Balaclava High School campus in St Elizabeth. Upon completion, the school will be renamed the Roger Clarke High School, in honour of her colleague, the late minister of agriculture. While the renaming may be viewed as a noble gesture by Simpson Miller and her supporters, I believe such an act is not only a clear case of abuse of power, but also a significant sign to further disempower a disenfranchised community and its people. While Roger Clarke should be honoured, the way the prime minister chose to do so was not right, not to mention not the proper honour for the honoree.

Balaclava Secondary, now high school, like all other secondary schools across the island of Jamaica, was upgraded and used to bear the name of its community. Maggotty High, which was a secondary school, bears the name of its community, as does Lacovia High, Junction High, Newell High, and countless others. None of these upgraded high schools have moved for a name change. Why Balaclava High?

What Simpson Miller, and those who have agreed with such an idea, did simply showed to the Balaclava community, which was once governed by her late colleague, the continual disregard for the views and wishes of the people. A decision to change the name of the school was made without consulting the Balaclava community. How can a leader make such a significant decision without proper dialogue with the people whom such a change could adversely affect?

As a former student of the institution and the guest speaker for this year’s graduation ceremony, I was not privy to the discussion for the name change. While I am not saying that I should have been singled out and consulted, I believe that former students (alumni body) should have been involved in the conversation. Instead, most of those who were present at the table to discuss this change were neither born nor raised in Balaclava, let alone even visited the school.

I doubt such a change could have been made at any other schools in St Elizabeth, or across the island, without the voice of its former students and parents. The prime minister and all other parties involved in the decision would not dare to rename Hampton School, Munro College, and Maggotty High without the valuable input of the stakeholders. Why not rename Frome High, which is located in the parish Clarke is originally from and where his remains reside?

A voiceless community is a powerless community. Simpson Miller and her Comrades knew and capitalised on this premise.

As a little girl growing up in this community, I saw no significant change for the Balaclava community resulting from Clarke’s work. Over the past 20-plus years, the community has neither experienced economic growth nor development. Nothing has been done to empower the people, and there have been no changes made to infrastructure; the roads are still in extreme disrepair and are dangerously narrow. Let the evidence show what Clarke has done for the Balaclava community to move it and its people forward.

Admittedly, I have not lived in Balaclava for the past 17 years. However, each time I visit my family and friends who are still living there I see virtually the community getting progressively worse. Young people’s minds are wasting away. There is little to inspire future generations. I think the best investment a political leader could ever make in his or her constituency is to invest in young people who strengthen the community and the country. I was raised to believe that political leaders ought to serve the people by developing growth paths for young people regardless of party affiliation.

I am hoping that airing this issue will inspire people to regain courage and begin to speak out as it’s not too late to change. I am also hoping that the prime minister will realise what kind of message she has sent to the people of Balaclava. Nothing is wrong with the naming of a block in honour of Clarke — the newly built block is an ideal place to put his name — but the school name, its identity, should remain unchanged.

I attended this noble institution, yet I will never be in support of the name change. Simply put, I am not only indignant of this change, but I am also deeply hurt and disappointed. I doubt Simpson Miller, as well as those responsible for the renaming, realises the sentimentality and symbolism of the “Balaclava High” name. For me and countless others, the name of the school validates the name of the community, the town, and this section of the island. The name promotes pride and honour in our community, not a person.

Dr Tracy A McLeod is a professor of special education in New York. Send comments to the Observer or tracymcleod31@gmail.com.