Dear Editor,

I note with dismay Television Jamaica’s (TVJ) decision to ban Kingston College from the Schools’ Challenge Quiz competition for two years.

I immediately asked, why?

It seems brutally unfair to bar the students of a school from exhibiting their talents and contributing to both public education and entertainment because TVJ refuses to admit to the problems with judging that have plagued the competition over the years. A simple search of letters to the editor over the years will show up how many schools have felt disenfranchised by the judges in the competition.

Simply saying the judges’ decision is final is not enough.

In another unrelated context, it was once said “error has no rights”. Seems appropriate in this situation.

Furthermore, to claim that the competition was brought into disrepute by a member of the coaching staff, who expressed his concerns about the unfair treatment of his charges on social media, having clearly distanced himself from the competition and after the school was no longer in the competition, is tantamount to the big bully beating up your child when he is really angry with the football coach. The coach did not speak on behalf of the school, and nothing he said in the postings was incorrect.

The world our young people have to live in is already filled with injustice and pain. We must refrain from teaching our children lessons such as this — that hard work and sacrifice will bear no fruit in the face of opposition.

And, by the way, what exactly is wrong with wanting to win again? Is that not the reason all the schools enter the competition? Is it only in this instance wanting to win is a bad thing? TVJ, do the right thing!

Traci Parkes

traciparkes@gmail.com