Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • All Woman
  • Career & Education
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Classifieds
  • Design Week
Letters
April 27, 2022

Locking children out of school is a no-no

Dear Editor,

The age of attainment of majority in Jamaica is 18 years and came into effect from April 30, 1979 when the Law Reform (Age of Majority) Act came into effect.

This therefore makes it clear that children in Jamaica enrolled in the early childhood to secondary education system up to age 18 are considered minors and remain under the jurisdiction, guidance, and care of parents or guardians. Whenever these children are in attendance at school, principals and teachers have a duty of care to protect and secure the safety of these minors while they are on campus.

Children are in school to be taught concepts and develop their critical thinking skills.

The business of socialisation is a function of the home, and while schools rightly establish standards of conduct, which define their character and how all their stakeholders must acquit themselves, there are inalienable rights and conventions which are sacrosanct. As a result, principals and teachers cannot remove students from school campuses during the designated hours of contact learning without the knowledge and involvement of parents.

On the occasions when minors exhibit antisocial behaviour, their parents ought to be summoned to the institutions for engagement.

Under no circumstance, however, is a child to be locked out of a school campus.

If he or she presents a physical danger to other stakeholders on the campus, the principal ought to take control, keep the minor in his or her presence, engage law enforcement, and involve the parents immediately. You cannot deny children the safety and structure of the campus once their parents have handed them over to the duly constituted authority of the Government. And further, this matter of breaching the privacy of children by having their images in the media is incorrect.

Principals and other school administrators guilty of locking children out of school after their parents have delivered them to the campus must be arrested and placed before the courts.

It is time we reshape our society by treating with respect the weakest and most vulnerable. Let us not transfer the responsibility for the moral decadence in our society to our children, they are living what they have learnt over decades of disregard for order.

That said, the bruhaha about hairstyles in school has its antecedents in Jamaica’s bigoted, plantation reality. Little boys and girls of dominant European and Asian influences in our society are not being subjected to the same discriminatory actions on the rare occasion that they are enrolled in our public education system.

Mark A Hylton

Montego Bay

markahylton@hotmail.com

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Cedricka Williams breaks Tennessee discus record
Latest News, Sports
Cedricka Williams breaks Tennessee discus record
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Cedricka Williams broke the nearly 50-year-old University of Tennessee women’s discus throw record on Friday, after she won the ev...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Shaw’s hat-trick leads Reggae Girlz to 4-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda
Latest News, Sports
Shaw’s hat-trick leads Reggae Girlz to 4-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s hat-trick led Jamaica to a 4-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda in their Concacaf W Championship qualifiers Gro...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaicans in diaspora urged to channel donations to health sector through NHEF
Latest News, News
Jamaicans in diaspora urged to channel donations to health sector through NHEF
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Executive Director of the National Healthcare Enhancement Foundation (NHEF), Courtney Cephas, is encouraging members of the Jamaic...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Chentelle Swaby gets 50th cap, starts for Reggae Girlz against Antigua
Latest News, Sports
Chentelle Swaby gets 50th cap, starts for Reggae Girlz against Antigua
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica  — Chantelle Swaby will make her 50th appearance for Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz after she was named in the starting team to face Antigua...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
PNPYO calls out double standards in ethics committee actions, demands equal scrutiny for JLP MPs
Latest News, News
PNPYO calls out double standards in ethics committee actions, demands equal scrutiny for JLP MPs
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People’s National Party Youth Organisation (PNPYO) is condemning what it describes as a troubling pattern of selective enforce...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
JYAN calls for probe into child safety concerns at hurricane shelter schools
Latest News, News
JYAN calls for probe into child safety concerns at hurricane shelter schools
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) is calling for an urgent investigation into allegations of sexually inappropriate behavi...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Lynk launches virtual card in Jamaica
Latest News, News
Lynk launches virtual card in Jamaica
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica —  A new virtual payment solution aimed at expanding access to digital finance has been launched in Jamaica, allowing users to make ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Body of Mexican man who went missing at Blue Hole found
Latest News, News
Body of Mexican man who went missing at Blue Hole found
April 10, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica—The body of a Mexican man who is suspected to have drowned while swimming at the Blue Hole attraction St Ann has been found. He has ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct