The Editor, Sir:

I am a Jamaican living in Syracuse, New York, where I work with and among gay individuals who have families. It is so disturbing to read this article because I still want to believe that Jamaica has the best educational system. We are doing students a disservice when we allow our ignorant and uninformed beliefs to permeate even the educational system. Good for the Ministry of Education for supplying that book as one of the books students need.

Very disturbed

I was very disturbed about the comment that 'it' exists but we don't care to talk to our students about it. Jamaica is not a vacuum and, unfortunately, we disadvantage high school students when we limit their experiences. When I came to the States in 1999 to study, I had to unlearn a lot of my hate and ignorance about the gay community, and it is very sad that in 2007 the same thing is happening.

Do Jamaican students not have the right to read and to learn about others and their lifestyle? Are we really content as a country to keep living in blissful ignorance? I wanted to share this article with my professional colleagues but I am ashamed that the place I call home and love dearly is still homophobic and ignorant about gay issues. We need to stop using the church as our excuse. Despite what we believe spiritually, students have a right to learn about issues and people different from them.

I am, etc.,

Disturbed and Angered

kiminatiquachi@hotmail.com

Via Go-Jamaica.