Fifty years ago the Revelation of Rastafari on Antigua caused much consternation as groups of young men withdrew from their communities, taking refuge in the many hills to grow their locks, cleansing themselves from four hundred years of foreign domination (Babylon), Rastafari looked toward their God within, following the teachings of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie 1 of Ethiopia.
Soon young women followed them, including young girls from Antigua High School which shocked the society to such an extent, forcing them to acknowledge the Revelation with police violence. As Rasta families grew children old enough to be schooled, the then Minister of Education refused to consider allowing Rastafari children in schools, referring to them as ‘unkempt.’ With the help of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Rastafari were forced to start their own little school.
Over the years, slowly, as the Rastafari community became ‘acceptable’ to the society when their talents were recognized, some public schools allowed the youth with their locks, but insisted they must wear a tam. Later the demand allowed their locks to be ‘tidy.’
So for today to hear that a private church school could be so downright cruel to reject a child on her first day of school, on the grounds of wearing locks, we realize that not much has changed in fifty years. Rastafari are only recognized when they are required to be used either by the politicians at election time, or the new cannabis growers who want them to grow their ‘weed’. This is infra dig!
Schools and teachers are not what they were when teaching was regarded as a vocation and not just a job, and when Christian churches recognized that their Christ came for all, especially the poor and despised. The child and her happiness were not considered on her first day of school, with her locks, prettied up like the other children with their plaits and ribbons, she was disappointed by her teacher, and told not to come back to school with her locks. Is this the vocational teacher talking or the segregationist Adventist church?
By Makeda Mikael
The time has come for the Constitution to begin to protect All the people and not just some. It is time also for the churches in our midst to understand and apply what they preach, and when they fail to apply this century’s Christian churches approach to unbiased religiosity, the Constitution must show them their failure to bend the moral arc towards Justice.
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Why this little country of ours seems to going backwards instead of forwards?? slavery again has done a real job on us in the name of Christianity,
This foolishness must stop. I’m sure rhe principal isn’t properly put together like this child is.
When adults badmind children it’s a normal sin. Miss Lady you should be ashamed of yourself for turning back this child.
This foolishness must stop. I’m sure the principal isn’t properly put together like this child is.
When adults badmind children it’s a mortal sin. Miss Lady you should be ashamed of yourself for turning back this child.
I will bet my last dollar that no church would refuse monetary donation from a rastaman
This is a prime example of why some people should not be in power.
This is ignorant and mean.
This principal needs to do some inner work- rather than judging children’s physical appearance.
Every child should be not only accepted, but encouraged to get an education.
Especially my church. The Seventh-day Adventist church
Now is not the time for Rasta to be begging back into the Babylon system. Some of us are trying to figure out how to get out.
I could hardly believe what I was hearing in the news this morning. My first reaction was that there must be some mis-understanding – there was no way that in the year 2022 in Antigua and Barbuda that a child could be denied an education on the basis of her hair. Someone please tell me that this is not so.
At O boy.. Rasta dun ah beg inna Babylon system.. Rastas took vaccine and are wearing masks.. no true rastas dey bout now..
If the school don’t want rastas then don’t send your child there.. just like if a business require mask .. nah shop dey..
O boy, you are a boy fu true! Rasta nuh beg fu nutten. De Constitution demands all Antigua children must be educated and they have schools. Private schools must not discriminate.
Yet another example of why men of the cloth have no business in our politics – let them stick to the pulpit. The Monday night gang on Observer are campaigning heavily for the constitution to be changed to allow men of the cloth to serve in our parliament.
The recent abortion debate, and now the education of children with locks, provide us with the proof that the framers of our constitution got this one right.
For violating the child’s Right…
Points to ponder – if being Rasta is a religion, why would Rastafari send their children to an opposing religious school anyway? And then why demand that the other religion change their principles to align with Rastafarianism?
Or are the locks just a hairstyle and not particularly religious? If just a hairstyle, what’s the big deal about cutting them off if that’s not in keeping with the school’s preferred grooming policy? E.g. all boys have to cut their hair short whether dread or baldhead. Is that discriminatory? Isn’t a person’s character more important than their appearance anyway? Should kids tie their identity to their hairstyle? Why be so attached to a hairstyle? Just for the record, I don’t have a problem with Rasta kids being allowed to wear clean, groomed locks at public schools, but I don’t see why they should have the right to impose their religious system on a private religious school. Other parents are probably paying with the expectation of their kids learning in a traditional Christian environment. So, perhaps allowing locks sends a contrary message about the school’s religion.
Eg allowing locks might send the message to other kids that the school agrees that Selassie might be the Messiah, which would be contrary to the expected teachings of the school. So, it’s not simply an anti-black issue. It’s a religious belief issue. You can’t just make up a black messiah and demand that all black people go along with it. People have a right to follow what they truly believe. So, although all children should be welcome, no religious locks do not need to be allowed at all schools.
If the church schools had to depend only on their church goers the would be forced out of business now they are not subsidized from abroad. All religions go to all the church schools in Antigua, including Muslims, so if they want to why not Rasta? And white boys have long hair too. You sound biased.
Notes From A Native Son O The Rock! Oh Gad! Hab Merci Pan Arwe! That CANNOT be TRUE in this Space and Time!
“I speak of the Christian religion, and no one need be astonished. The Church in the colonies is the white people’s Church, the foreigner’s Church. She does not call the native to God’s ways but to the ways of the white man, of the master, of the oppressor. And as we know, in this matter many are called but few chosen.” ― Frantz Fanon, Concerning Violence!
If this incident did take place on the Rock and a fact That such violence is still being practiced on our youth on a small island developing state (sids specifically not capitalized) where 95% of the population is of African Descent in this the International Decade for People of African Descent 2015 – 2024, in the 21st Century, in an economy broken by Covid and baffled by Globalization, shows how deeply engrained into the mental psyche of many are the vestiges of slavery and indentureship (which the Planters in Antigua refused to commit to as was required by their terms of payout with the British Government), colonialism, imperialism and white supremacy of a European God as preached by the Ecclesiastics of African Descent! They have been totally Bound and Captured and look for Salvation and Amazing Grace as written by Captain John Newton, that dastardly Slave Trader and Captain!
The Ministry of Education should file charges against that School immediately! JFII may be incorrect, but this mere voice in the wilderness believes that Antigua and Barbuda has ratified the UN Conventions in which education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit, in keeping with Article26.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As a consequence, no discrimination can be accepted in granting access to education on grounds of race, gender, language, religion or economic, cultural or social distinctions, or physical disabilities! Where is Me Gud Fren Charles to take up this bed and walk! We truly inherited “A Small Place.” – Jamaica Kinkaid
Even The US Army has made improvements to its allowances for People of African Descent in its most recent grooming and appearance standards as of January 2021: “This is one of the many facets of putting our people first and recognizing who they are as human beings. Their identity and diverse backgrounds are what makes the Army an ultimate fighting force.” // “Under the PAST standard, Soldiers are allowed to braid, twist, lock, or cornrow their hair if they are uniform and no greater than 1/2 inch in width. Individuals must also have appropriate size and spacing between each braid, cornrow, twist, or lock, and are authorized one distinct type of hairstyle at one time. The NEW and UPDATED standard removes the CONSTRAINTS of dimension requirements.”
Nuff Said on such backward and outlandish Violence on Youth of African Descent!
“We must learn to live the African way. It’s the only way to live in freedom and with dignity.” ― Capitaine Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara, The Upright Man, Pan-Africanist Revolutionary and former President of Burkina Faso born 1949 assassinated 1987!
If you do not want them in the school why baptized them to be members of the church
Close the school down and the government is responsible for laws to address this kind of BS. It should be against the law to discriminate in this way. Are there not people of ALL TYPES in SDA? It’s more like a cult pushing non biblical BULL SHIT. This is 100% foolish and 100% against the teachings of Christ. Many people with Lock are NOT Rasta for them it’s just a hair style. If I had a child going there I would remove them in order to teach tolerance. I met a ton of SDA frauds and Hypocrites.
Discrimination/Double Standards!!!
This hair thing is getting ridiculous and i’ve had a few experiences and observed a few things.
(i) Grammar School principle have all this hair in his face and on his head but always on the students case about the length of their hair if it grows above a certain length and a gwaan like he want to use a ruler and measure his students hair. 🤣
(ii) Went for a job interview at a certain hotel on the south and even though they were impressed with my high qualifications, I was told I had to cut off my locks, but observed the front office females; one a manager, with very long locks and saw other male staff working in the gardens, maintenance and bars with plaited hair and locks also. So having locks as a male at Front Office was a no no, but for the females it was ok. Males with locks can only work in other departments….how discriminating is that?? Further to that i was told I also had to shave off my beard clean or have a goatee with side burns 1 inch from my earlobe even after explaining my issues with in grown hair and clean shaving. In this new day and age this is the kind of stupidity that’s going on when it comes to hair in Antigua? When even some police men have to take leaves because of the constant clean shaving and the adverse effects it has on their skin or transfer to desk duties.
Leave the few of us who dont want short hair and clean faces alone as long as we’re well maintained neat and clean. 🔴🟡🟢⚫
The hair that we were all born with on our heads and facial hair that grows as men mature in age is a problem?? 😅 no one is denying me a job or education for my hair.
Yesterday I heard the mother of this beautiful baby girl speaking in pain. Mom it was good that they revealed their discriminatory ugly traits early. Can you imagine how they would have treated your child if they did not. Unless they return every cent that you spent no one should be carrying their children to that school. In fact they should give a public apology to you and your child.
The child must have been so excited for school and they deny her that opportunity because of her hair smh
There is so much talk about this thing and I completely support that the rastafarian children should go to any school they choose, but are bald head (like the rastafarian would call us) children and teachers accepted in the rastafarian school? I remember a female teacher was sent to that school to teach years ago and they chased her out and said she was not one of them.
…to see with the #eyes will always prejudice the moment, due to cultural and societal indoctrination’s.
…to see with the #heart will always reveal the true essence of the moment.
While, the #rasta has being made the #scapegoat due to the ‘locks,’ the real fear is the fact, that those who’re still enslaved mentally and Spiritually will be set free!
To the Ras Tafar I Community known as Rastafarians.
Whether, we want to believe and accept it, I n I, (WE) as a Community practices discrimination against each other, based upon LOOKS as well.
I am a bit perplexed here, especially with the headline and some of the responses. Now is this child a rastafarian or just have locks? If the child is rastafarian, why would the parents want to send her to a Christan school, where they worship a white god, contrary to Rasta belief, recite litanies about Jesus Christ and his resurrection and all dat white god stuff? Would the next step be that my rastafarian child shouldn’t participate in prayers and the scripture subject? Why not enrol in a government school? No problems there. Now, say one day two, is a Christian allowed to teach at a rastafarian school? And if so, can that person wear japanese false hair and wigs? Whilst I am on the subject, aren’t private institutions governed by their own laws? All of these ‘ all of a sudden’ black conscious people, who are so outraged by the action of this school, what say you?
All I have to say about that statement is that the president of SLM Mr Greene son was caught growing marijuana on the school company he wasnt expel so why persecute that little child
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