By Arvel Grant, Political and current Affairs Analyst
“SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME ONTO ME AND FORBADE THEM NOT, FOR THEIRS’ IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” – The great reformer, Jesus Christ
When the Egyptians started wearing the dread locks more than 3,800 years ago, They could not have imagined that religious zealots, in contemporary civilizations, would be preventing children from attending school because of a natural hairstyle, in use by humans, for almost 4 thousand years.
But with the start of the new school term, a number of (apparently religious) schools across the Caribbean, including Saint Lucia and Antigua Barbuda, took it up on themselves, to continue the strange and backward practice, of discriminating against pupils and students wearing dreadlocks hair styles.
How can any school administrator, in her or his right mind, be doing this to children? Some as young as 5 years! Just imagine the: Confusion, consternation and anguish, experienced by a child, on her or his first day at school, when turned away by a mindless principal because of the child’s (lawful) hairstyle??
As soon as the offending School administrators, begin to recognize, that the human hair is just another body part, the sooner they might desist from this mindless and naive practice of discriminating against pupils and students because of their hairdo.
The emphasis really ought to be on cleanliness not texture and style. Clean dreadlocks represent no meaningful threat to buy standards., They are a common-sense protection against head and wider brain injuries. If anything, they should be encouraged and not discouraged.
Furthermore, most people who wear dread locks, are not observant Rastafarians. Rather, they are part of a lawful, world-wide cultural phenomenon of dress-code and wider cultural lifestyle.
The Rastafarian movement begun less than 100 years ago in Jamaica. But humans have been wearing dread locks for more than 3,800 years. Additionally, the dread locks hair-do lends itself to easy styling, for mothers who must multi-task, in getting themselves and 1 or more children off to work and school, in a tight time-slot each morning.
The very sad irony about this, is that some of those same offending schools and school-administrators, may willingly admit students wearing processed or artificial hair, while brutishly objecting to students wearing natural dread locks.
Needlessly to say, some in the Christian communities, may be holding long-standing biases against the Rastafarian movement, being the Caribbean’s newest and world-acclaim religious and cultural experience. But education is a right to all children.
This: Nasty, unconstitutional and overt expression of religious bigotry, will only cease, when Governments stop hiding behind public murmurings about the problem of discrimination against students wearing dread locks and start (actively) penalizing offending schools and school administrators.
Afterall, schools operate under licence from Governments and Ministries of Education; Don’ t they??Furthermore, Religious institutions or not, they are required to obey the constitution and other laws of the country or countries in which they operate. School rules which offend: The constitution, internationally agreed conventions and treaties are unlawful.
Walk good until next time.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
“Zealot” is a kind word that you have used to describe these religious morons. How about “fanatic”, “extremist”, “bigot” or “nut”?
Arvel Grant that badmouth Labour Party on Observer Radio leading up to the 2004 election?
Religious organisations are not legally responsible to educate the Nation’s youth. This is the responsibility of the government. I believe religious organisations operate schools to not only teach the prescribed curriculum set by governments but also to promote their beliefs and philosophies.
It stands to reason that if a religious school or private school refuse admission based on their policy, it should not be said that the school is denying rights to an education. We must be mindful that it is the State that is responsible to educate its youth. If one is not accepted in a private school there is always the government school.
It should be noted also that the Education Act spells out clearly how private, assisted private and denominational schools operate. There are only two points on which such schools can be accused of discrimination with regards to admission – race and political affiliation.
Private institutions do have the right to set their admission policy without interference from government.
In the Virgin Islands, the government has recently mandated that males can choose to attend school dress as females and vice versa and cannot be denied admission. If religious organisations were to accept governments making its rules we can see where it will end. Let us be realistic, it will no longer be a private institution. Moral and ethical issues can not be mandated by governments. If one is not in agreement with the policy of a private school just choose another school that you are in agreement with.
Nyabinghi Theocracy Church School has a STRICT DRESS CODE and “church school” policy. Do they welcome non-rastafari? do non-rastafari have to abide by their “church school” rules and regulations or is it anything goes with SaggaiFoo and Kai Davis school? Can a Jewish student enter wearing their religious yamaka at Nyabinghi Theocracy Church School??? Can a “BALD HEAD” attend Nyabinghi Theocracy Church School? Girls there have to dress a certain how or short skirt acceptable? Government can mandate that non-rastafari teach at that institution?
Comments are closed.