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I can't blame ST G for protecting the standards but since professional intervention took place perhaps they should have tried to kick him across the street.
Is the milk of human kindness drying up at St George's College?
Clare Forrester
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
The dispute at The Queen's School concerning the selection of its new principal highlights the prevailing unchecked autocratic approach of some of the country's church-controlled schools.
That the selection of a school principal or any teacher is primarily based on his or her church affiliation rather than being the best person for the job is troubling and cannot be in the best interest of the school or our system of education.
St George's College in Kingston.
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St George's College in Kingston.
1/1
While the Ministry of Education, through school boards, has overall responsibility for the administration of schools, those controlled by one denomination or the other are increasingly affirming a right to take crucial decisions such as the appointment of principals.
But there are deeper concerns emerging at schools like the well known St George's College (StGC), a Roman Catholic-controlled institution that boasts a commendable tradition in education. Interestingly, that school too came under the public microscope following the selection of its present principal, Margaret Campbell. A powerfully connected Catholic, Campbell was the first woman selected to head that institution and this may be the first time that a traditional boys' school has been so headed. There were many arguments raised for and against that decision by the RC Church administration. Generally though, we have come some distance in Jamaica and in our more recent history there is reason to believe that most balanced-thinking people are far less preoccupied with misplaced perceptions of gender roles. Hence, much of the early opposition to Principal Campbell's selection soon dissipated.
Less than five years into Campbell's regime, however, there are emerging concerns that her administration shows much less of the "milk of human kindness" for which teachers have been traditionally known. More recently, StGC has been criticised for the swiftness with which it has moved to expel several of its boys in a flagrant disregard for existing legal provisions that ensure some basic rights of schools, parents and children. How else does one explain a decision to expel second-form students without due hearing or recourse to their well established appeal process?
Most Jamaicans are well aware of the breakdown in discipline that exists in many of our schools and the general tendency is to be sympathetic to teachers and other administrators. However, many of our children do not have the luxury of stable homes. The experience of our boys especially, is even more problematic when there is no father figure and their upbringing is largely the responsibility of a struggling grandparent or other under-resourced caregiver.
The plight of one such boy (who happens to be my godson) was brought to my attention in recent months by his frustrated grandmother. Concerns about his sharp deterioration in behaviour and grades, following his stellar primary school days, led relatives to seek the school's guidance in identifying the services of a psychiatrist or psychologist. The school recommended Dr Aggrey Irons. Based on consultations, Dr Irons, who happens coincidentally to be a distinguished old boy of the school, advised that a process of treatment was necessary but that the child was definitely not irredeemable. He subsequently submitted these observations in correspondence to the school. No one could reasonably expect any dramatic improvement overnight.
Alas, such a view seemed not to be shared by the principal of St George's who, in correspondence to the boy's mother following the end of the summer term, affirmed that she had had enough and that his place was withdrawn. I sought audience with the principal in an attempt to advise that I was committing myself to a programme of support that was hitherto missing. Although she eventually acknowledged my letter, she adamantly rejected my request for an audience, stating that I had no status in the matter and that her position was unshakable. She would discuss the issue only with the boy's mother or grandmother.
It should be noted that it was at the request of the boy's grandmother that I had become involved. It was clear to me that this poor woman felt unable to communicate successfully with the principal. Subsequently, in a desperate attempt for a sympathetic hearing, the child's mother sought an appointment with the principal but was also firmly rejected.
In such cases, school boards are expected or even required to be part of the process leading up to expulsion. The administration at StGC does not seem to be mindful of this requirement in the Code of Education. When contacted, Board Chairman Peter McIsaacs responded with a letter to the child's mother endorsing the principal's action. No effort to convene a hearing either at the level of his board or with the parent. and no offer made to assist this underprivileged family with any support or guidance toward securing a place at another school. No one will argue that the child was an angel, but having just celebrated his 14th birthday, he surely could be afforded the proverbial extra mile, an approach one would reasonably expect from a school purportedly with a Christian foundation.
Appeals to the Ministry of Education did receive a sympathetic response. However, amazingly, the reality is that the Ministry seems powerless against such church-controlled school administrations. In the case of StGC, the mighty Roman Catholic institution seems hell-bent on providing backing to its principal, even if that is against the interest of a young soul.
There is much to be lauded about the historic role of our churches in the country's education programme. Unfortunately, however, in too many cases the governance of church schools is not keeping in step with the forward march of history. In recent years, some of the practices employed by some of these denominations leave much to be desired and call for greater public scrutiny in the interest of fairness, justice and protecting some of the hard-won basic rights of our children, not to mention the taxpayers of this country.
antoye@yahoo.com
Is the milk of human kindness drying up at St George's College?
Clare Forrester
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
The dispute at The Queen's School concerning the selection of its new principal highlights the prevailing unchecked autocratic approach of some of the country's church-controlled schools.
That the selection of a school principal or any teacher is primarily based on his or her church affiliation rather than being the best person for the job is troubling and cannot be in the best interest of the school or our system of education.
St George's College in Kingston.
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St George's College in Kingston. 1/1 While the Ministry of Education, through school boards, has overall responsibility for the administration of schools, those controlled by one denomination or the other are increasingly affirming a right to take crucial decisions such as the appointment of principals.
But there are deeper concerns emerging at schools like the well known St George's College (StGC), a Roman Catholic-controlled institution that boasts a commendable tradition in education. Interestingly, that school too came under the public microscope following the selection of its present principal, Margaret Campbell. A powerfully connected Catholic, Campbell was the first woman selected to head that institution and this may be the first time that a traditional boys' school has been so headed. There were many arguments raised for and against that decision by the RC Church administration. Generally though, we have come some distance in Jamaica and in our more recent history there is reason to believe that most balanced-thinking people are far less preoccupied with misplaced perceptions of gender roles. Hence, much of the early opposition to Principal Campbell's selection soon dissipated.
Less than five years into Campbell's regime, however, there are emerging concerns that her administration shows much less of the "milk of human kindness" for which teachers have been traditionally known. More recently, StGC has been criticised for the swiftness with which it has moved to expel several of its boys in a flagrant disregard for existing legal provisions that ensure some basic rights of schools, parents and children. How else does one explain a decision to expel second-form students without due hearing or recourse to their well established appeal process?
Most Jamaicans are well aware of the breakdown in discipline that exists in many of our schools and the general tendency is to be sympathetic to teachers and other administrators. However, many of our children do not have the luxury of stable homes. The experience of our boys especially, is even more problematic when there is no father figure and their upbringing is largely the responsibility of a struggling grandparent or other under-resourced caregiver.
The plight of one such boy (who happens to be my godson) was brought to my attention in recent months by his frustrated grandmother. Concerns about his sharp deterioration in behaviour and grades, following his stellar primary school days, led relatives to seek the school's guidance in identifying the services of a psychiatrist or psychologist. The school recommended Dr Aggrey Irons. Based on consultations, Dr Irons, who happens coincidentally to be a distinguished old boy of the school, advised that a process of treatment was necessary but that the child was definitely not irredeemable. He subsequently submitted these observations in correspondence to the school. No one could reasonably expect any dramatic improvement overnight.
Alas, such a view seemed not to be shared by the principal of St George's who, in correspondence to the boy's mother following the end of the summer term, affirmed that she had had enough and that his place was withdrawn. I sought audience with the principal in an attempt to advise that I was committing myself to a programme of support that was hitherto missing. Although she eventually acknowledged my letter, she adamantly rejected my request for an audience, stating that I had no status in the matter and that her position was unshakable. She would discuss the issue only with the boy's mother or grandmother.
It should be noted that it was at the request of the boy's grandmother that I had become involved. It was clear to me that this poor woman felt unable to communicate successfully with the principal. Subsequently, in a desperate attempt for a sympathetic hearing, the child's mother sought an appointment with the principal but was also firmly rejected.
In such cases, school boards are expected or even required to be part of the process leading up to expulsion. The administration at StGC does not seem to be mindful of this requirement in the Code of Education. When contacted, Board Chairman Peter McIsaacs responded with a letter to the child's mother endorsing the principal's action. No effort to convene a hearing either at the level of his board or with the parent. and no offer made to assist this underprivileged family with any support or guidance toward securing a place at another school. No one will argue that the child was an angel, but having just celebrated his 14th birthday, he surely could be afforded the proverbial extra mile, an approach one would reasonably expect from a school purportedly with a Christian foundation.
Appeals to the Ministry of Education did receive a sympathetic response. However, amazingly, the reality is that the Ministry seems powerless against such church-controlled school administrations. In the case of StGC, the mighty Roman Catholic institution seems hell-bent on providing backing to its principal, even if that is against the interest of a young soul.
There is much to be lauded about the historic role of our churches in the country's education programme. Unfortunately, however, in too many cases the governance of church schools is not keeping in step with the forward march of history. In recent years, some of the practices employed by some of these denominations leave much to be desired and call for greater public scrutiny in the interest of fairness, justice and protecting some of the hard-won basic rights of our children, not to mention the taxpayers of this country.
antoye@yahoo.com