Commentary

Esther Tyson, Gleaner Writer

This article represents the thoughts of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (JAPSS), an organisation comprising principals of high schools across Jamaica that has been in operation for decades. The current president is Sharon Reid, principal of St Andrew High School for Girls. I am vice-president, and secretary is Glennor Wilson, principal of Claude McKay High School.

As principals of secondary schools, we have been faced with the impact of a society that has been decaying spiritually, morally, socially and economically. These realities need to change. So, too, must the violent nature of our society, and the corruption which is so pervasive, if we are to have the chance to develop and prosper. We need to give our children the opportunity to be educated in an environment free of fear and violence.

It has been too long that dons and criminals have had the almost exclusive power of monopoly across several communities of this country, and we think it is time that the Government, the security forces and patriotic Jamaicans take back this country.

The current situation in Jamaica, whereby our security forces are seeking to challenge the status quo of dons ruling in garrison communities in Jamaica and to restore our nation to the rule of law and order, calls for all Jamaicans to give their strong support to this initiative in order for these objectives to be achieved. This initiative is a war against crime and lawlessness in Jamaica. A nation must give its support to its troops when they are at war.

At its meeting on June 11, the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools, therefore, resolved that:

1. There is to be genuine, balanced support given to the security forces in the execution of the mandate given by the Government to bring to justice, criminals who have been inflicting terror and violence on our society. This should include granting the security forces all the necessary resources that they will need to achieve this objective effectively.

2. The heads of the Jamaica Defence Force and the Jamaica Constabulary Force are to operate without concern for corrupt politicians who might seek to undermine their efforts in an attempt to protect their party supporters who are criminals. Every community in Jamaica must be open to be searched by the security forces to root out each and every such criminal and acts of criminality. In their effort to bring stability and civility to the country, every effort must be made and care taken to protect law-abiding citizens and give them the respect they deserve.

3. If the state of emergency provided the framework whereby the security forces were able to enter Tivoli Gardens, then it should be used judicially to provide the similar framework whereby the security forces will be able to go into every other such community that exists in Jamaica.

'Badmanship'

This is a matter that must be pursued and given priority because of what we are seeing in the classrooms. The mindset of criminality is affecting our youth at every level and in every part of our island. This phenomenon is no longer confined to the urban areas of Kingston and St Catherine, but has become evident in the schools across the length and breadth of Jamaica. 'Badmanship' is the behaviour that is now thought to be 'hype' by our boys and admired by our girls. The pervasive and rampant oversexualisation of our youth is a product of this culture which sees young girls being demanded by the dons and gunmen in communities across the island. Many of our girls have accepted this view of themselves as being of value only if a man or boy wants to have sex with them. They openly and willingly buy into this belief that a girl's value is based on her sexual activity.

This criminal mindset is further evidenced in the practice of extortion being played out in the schools. Both boys and girls seek to prey upon younger students or the 'soft' ones to extort money from them for their own means. They have learnt this from what our dons have been doing in this society. In addition, because some students are not receiving love, affirmation and acceptance at home, they now look to gangs to provide these needs in their lives. Some gangs are school-based, while others are community-based. These gangs become surrogate families for these students. This is what, after all, they have been seeing in operation around them. "Children live what they learn."

As a nation, we must recommit ourselves to work together as a society to provide a positive environment within which our children can grow and develop to be adults that will benefit our nation. This can only happen if we work together as a community to build strong family support for our children. We must determine to start practising and teaching the values and morals that will strengthen, not just our children, but our nation.

Let us ensure that our children attend school regularly; that they are provided with the textbooks that are necessary; that they are given the nourishment needed for their brain to function optimally; that their homes be places of safety and not abuse. Let us, as a society, make sure that they are not on the streets loitering when they should be at home. Let us make sure that they are not out late at nights in places which even adults should not be.

Let us see how, as a society, we can work together, in the home, school, church, media, security forces, private sector and the Government to create a society where our children can be given a fighting chance at developing as wholesome and productive individuals and, thereby, strengthen our nation.

Esther Tyson is principal of Ardenne High School, St Andrew, and vice-president of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.