Dear Editor,

We keep having the same conversation over and over again. At this point, I would imagine we would have learned the lesson, but I will repeat it once more for parents and educators to get it.

Children have rights. Revolutionary, but true. The Government of Jamaica agreed with this revolutionary statement 26 years ago when they ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They decided that they were going to take the statement more seriously when they enacted the Child Care and Protection Act in 2004.

What does this mean? This means that parents, teachers, principals, guidance counsellors, school administrators, family members, and church leaders cannot continue this practice of treating children however they feel. This means that when we see children being oppressed, those of us who care about children should speak up confidently.

I feel the need to repeat these statements because of the continuous denial of students’ rights by the petty tyrants (read some school administrators) and the way they handle their kingdoms (read schools; oftentimes publicly funded ones).

When they aren’t failing to effectively teach health and family life education — because it’s “icky” — or forcibly removing the black hair off of the heads of black students in a predominantly black society, they are denying them an entire week of teaching because they had the gall to talk about sex on social media.

Please note that the Education Regulations of 1980 give principals the power to suspend only where the student has caused injury to a teacher or another student, or where their behaviour is likely to have or is having a detrimental effect on the discipline of the institution. Nowhere in the regulations are principals empowered to suspend students because the school’s “good name” has been brought into disrepute or because alumni who may or may not provide funding (most times the latter) are clutching their pearls about something the student has done publicly.

Notwithstanding the human rights standards or the local legal framework, school administrators continue to prioritise the school’s reputation over the needs of students. Rather than developing innovative ways of addressing student misbehaviour through restorative justice-type methods, our schools go the route of oppression and severe punishment. School administrations are more interested in demonstrating how strict they are and how prepared they are to rein in children like cattle, than actually addressing the errant ways of youth. I smell the stain of slavery and colonialism. But, then, most of our more distinguished and celebrated schools have their origin in colonial Jamaica.

What disturbs me most are the people who rightfully chided the mother who abused her daughter on the now infamous video but stand by St Catherine High School’s actions. Institutional abuse of power is just as egregious as abuse within the home. ‘Shooketh’ as I am, I will continue to hope for a reprieve.

Glenroy Murray

Policy & advocacy manager, Equality for All Foundation

Policy officer, WE-Change

glenroy.am.murray@gmail.com