Educators concerned about dress code standards in schools
Tuesday’s incident at Vauxhall High in Kingston where four teachers allegedly held down a student and cut his hair, has triggered sharp debate about standards of dress for schools.
Human Rights Advocate, Jaevion Nelson, has taken issue with the position held by school administrators about rules for how students should dress.
The Vauxhall incident is said to have been triggered by the student’s hairstyle which was allegedly in breach of school rules.
Nelson is objecting to rules being in place without proper reasons and is questioning some of the current rules at educational institutions.
“The rules in schools must make sense to the students and that the students can therefore feel comfortable in abiding by them,” Nelson said.
On the other hand, Keith Wellington, Principal of St Elizabeth High School (STETHS) Keith Wellington, argues that rules are essential for students.
He accepts that times have changed and some rules may need to reflect more modern realities. However, he insists that some values remain constant.
“We need rules, you know every single rule. Including the ten commandments were made to ensure that persons who would naturally do things but would normally do things for their selfish benefit – they are controlled. Rules are made to ensure that in a communal setting everyone is protected,” he declared Friday on RJR’s Beyond the Headlines.
That sentiment was echoed by Erica Ewbanks, Principal of Garvey Maceo High, who stressed that school rules are deliberately chosen, and that they serve a wider social function.
“They are not arbitrarily done,” she insisted.
We are a nation of lawbreakers, and this is where it starts, the rules in school are simple, come on time, go class, follow the dress code and be properly groomed. If you cannot abide by these rules stay home and let your family teach you!
Having said that, the teachers should never have put their hands on the boy, they should have just refused him entry unto the school compound until he complies with the school rules.
How can you cut pickney hair without their permission nor parents consent? ?by force??noooo teacher yuh wrong! This was never a physical issue so how it get physical? The rules call for suspension of the student not trimming him!!
There needs to be a difference between how u look at a party and how u look at school. Jamaica is very image conscious even today. You can’t go pick up ur kids inna tights or tank tops. You can guh KPH in tights or sleeveless tops. My friend has an arm tattoo and he can’t wear shirts where it will show at the bank he works. No bleaching,no tight pants,no sagging pants,no mini skirts,no big hoop earrings. School is school. Yes mi old fashion.
Is not every parent have the money to send their child to the barber/salon every two weeks. So what about those kids from that household?
Remember when locks was deemed uncouth and some employers wouldnt hire you. Now I see even news readers wearing locks. I was refused employment in the 90s at a restaurant in uptown Kingston I believe because of my natural hair. The Chinese lady who interviewed me blatantly said she didn’t like it. I guess because it was on the wrong side of “pretty”. Too many naps I suppose and now people are encouraged to go natural no matter the texture.
I’m not a fan of men and boys sporting cane rows or afro, but to hold this boy down and trim him is wrong on so many levels. If this happened here in London they would have a lawsuit on their hands.
Some Jamaicans on a hold is too follow fashion everything Dem so amerikah duh Dem Inna it tick, tick, peck peck down to di odda day mi si Pitney going to school n Jamaica in a socks and sandals like seriously socks and sandals mi haffi scroll through fast an really ask if a Jamaican school Pitney Dem dis
Teacha wrong fi dat, dem shouldnt even care that much. Jus lock him out and carry on. Nuh teacher shouldnt even haffi tell him fi trim to begin with him parents fi see that and send him. If u cannot give a child what they need then do not bring them in the world. If u cya afford barber save up and buy a sheer and practice to trim and groom ur child’s hair. My mom is a jack of all trade all plumming she a do. Stop finding 10 million excuses because the child will bring the same dont care attitude to school and give teachers a hard time. Mi auntie use to tell me seh “there is no such word as can’t”, try it.
Teachers always a get blame, the teachers need to stop going out of their ways fi some a uno no good bad manners kids. The teachers just need to teach n if uno Pinckney have problems dem ignore uno Damm kids n just stick to teaching. It’s about time some parents grown dem Damm bad breed kids. Since uno nuh appreciate teachers all when dem a rob other students, the teachers fi gwan about them business. Teachers uno fi teach n stop discipline, mek some a them kids turn out exactly how some of the parent want them to be.