Devon Dick
LAST THURSDAY, I heard a security guard and a higher-ranked worker discussing The Gleaner's report on the incident of spitting at Immaculate Conception High School (ICHS). Both of them had different perspectives. The security guard was outraged and wanted expulsion for such disgusting behaviour while the other worker was more interested in ascertaining whether the teacher had provoked the children. These opposing views provide an opportunity to examine what is happening with and to our young people.
That three fourth-formers spat in a teacher's water bottle while she was deliberately distracted is a serious offence. It shows conspiracy. It was a calculated, devious and cold act. This cannot be classified as a child's prank on a teacher.
It was contemptuous of the teacher. In the United King-dom there have been too many instances of black footballers being spat at. It is racist and displays utter disdain for another human being. It is meant to humiliate the object of the spittle. However, these young girls took it one step further and concocted for the teacher to drink it! Perhaps, I am in denial but I hope someone will, somehow, say it is not true. But, if true, it is a new low in student-teacher relationship.
In Jamaica it is not even considered polite to spit in public. This is part of our ethos. This alien act of spitting in a teacher's water bottle must be loudly and swiftly condemned and frowned upon. If it is not a crime, the political directorate should make it one.
LIGHT SENTENCE
The school board's sentence appears too light in only suspending the girls. The broad's action has inadvertently caused grievous hardship on a teacher and a school community. It should have been dealt with discreetly to avoid embarrassment to teachers and parents.
However, this challenge to authority without a cause; this health hazard risk; this contempt for another human being demanded that the children not only be expelled from the school but also be withdrawn from the Jamaican school system.
The parent, who has sent one child to the U.K. acted wisely. Most teachers in Jamaica would not be comfortable with children who could conceive and implement such an act. Fellow students would scorn the children because of the folly of engaging in such an act. Expelling them would be for their own good. Such a heinous act would demand that they 'cool' out from the educational system and get counselling and try to understand what is happening in their headspace.
This act is no simple, ordinary act. It has affected-teacher student relationship at ICHS and also other schools. Already some teachers are naturally scared to accept certain gifts from students. In the short-term there will be a lot of distrust.
A NATIONAL ISSUE
The board needs to show regret on how it handled the matter, leading it to become a national issue causing hardships on the teachers, students and the parents. The home school association needs to find an appropriate way to express regret to the teacher involved and means to build back teacher- student relationship. Hopefully, the parents would have done their bit already.
In addition, one needs to understand human nature sometimes in spite of ICHS having regular devotions, days for personal and spiritual reflection and being disciplined and orderly; sometimes in spite of parents being model parents who teach and practice wholesome values, still the children do awful things.
ELITIST REPUTATION
Nevertheless, the school has a reputation in some circles to be seen as elitist and sometimes even racist. It will need to try harder to promote equality of all human beings based on a common creator.
There has to be programmes and policies to reflect and achieve that aim. Therefore, the decision for the fifth-formers to move away from a graduation at a hotel and instead have a valedictory service at the school is one such step.
As someone said, in the best of us there is bad and in the worse of us there is good.
As a nation, we need to find consensus around some common values. Perhaps, we could start with that value of recognizing that respect is due to all. Perhaps this will help avoid a repeat of spitting at ICHS and elsewhere.
Rev Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church.
