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The Children Are Our Future

The deck seems to be stacked against Minister of Education Ronald Jones who we have previously suggested is unsuited for the job, parents and all the other stakeholders as we attempt to arrest the counter-culture which has taken root in our society. Yesterday afternoon we listened with interest to VOB moderator Mark Forde passionately expressing…

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The deck seems to be stacked against Minister of Education Ronald Jones who we have previously suggested is unsuited for the job, parents and all the other stakeholders as we attempt to arrest the counter-culture which has taken root in our society. Yesterday afternoon we listened with interest to VOB moderator Mark Forde passionately expressing his disgust at the practice which has become fashionable of wearing trousers across the hips to expose the crack of the ass, if female and the undergarments, if male.

Like several other maladies which are currently afflicting our society there is one common thread, Barbadians are reluctant to act until there is irrefutable evidence to support the act under suspicion. Barbadians yearn always to appear to be doing the right thing. Even if the video above already demonstrates a concrete indication that the Jamaican ghetto culture has past the point of no return started to permeate the minds and souls of our young minds, yet we sit and do business as usual.

Prime Minister Thompson, note that removing the school children from the mini-buses is not enough, we need to go further. We need to create boot camps, we need for the Broadcasting Authority to wake up and enforce the standards, we need to exact standards from our radio stations, we need to exact standards from the public transportation sector, we need to exact standards from our calypsonians, we need to exact standards from our politicians, we need to exact standards, standards and more standards.

The uniform of the school in the video is well known so why bother to finger the school.

We need to fight back, NOW!

146 responses to “The Children Are Our Future”

  1. Jack Bowman Avatar
    Jack Bowman

    @ Themis and @ RN

    Quoting Themis: “The key here is communication, not adherence to principles which are to be followed in formal writing.”

    Quoting RN: “This is a blog, not a school room.”

    The key here is communication, Themis avers. Now that’s an interesting proposition. And here’s a statement made on this very same thread, in one single and complete sentence:

    “The teachers for example a key partner in the rearing of the child now models an economic behaviour for the most part.”

    I agree with you, Themis. Communication is important. Can you tell me: what specific idea is the writer of that sentence trying to communicate to me and you? What does the sentence actually mean?

    Did you understand it the first time you read it? Did you have to read it twice, or more?

    I didn’t understand it the first time I read it. I didn’t understand it the second time I read it. What I did understand is that someone with a fervent opinion about public education who can’t write a coherent sentence about teachers is someone who should not be allowed to make public policy in the field of education.

    That person, of course, has every right to hold any opinion about public education and about teachers.

    As you say, Themis, communication is (to use your word; personally, I try to avoid it) “key”.

    So let’s consider some more “communication” (no grammar lessons here). A writer on this very same thread said this:

    “So in summary the model of parenting is the way nature has designed the process to rear children to optimum, the current state says to us we are in a win-lose situation taking a pragmatic view.”

    I didn’t understand that the first time I read it. I didn’t understand it the second time I read it. You’re not supposed to have to read sentences twice. That is the entire point of “communication”.

    It’s confusing in so many ways. It starts by claiming that it’s a summary of previous arguments that have not actually been made, and then wanders off into what seems to be an arbitrary collection of random terms and wearying buzz-words. It does not “communicate” anything.

    Perhaps I’m wrong. Perhaps you could try to explain it to me. But you are a braver person than I am if you even dare to assume that you know better than the writer what she/he means by the curious use of the verb “to model” in the first example above.

    As any cognitive linguist or neurologist of your acquaintance will tell you, clarity of writing is always a reliable index of clarity of thought. This is a sad fact, one now so mapped by brain scanning that it is beyond any reasonable argument.

    An exception might be made for native English speakers who are dyslexic. The condition disproportionately affects native speakers of English. The academic literature has reached no consensus on the matter, but it does seem to be probable that the very philology of the English language is conducive to dyslexia.

    I have suspected for some time that the writer of this blog might indeed be an undiagnosed dyslexic. She/he betrays some of the standard symptoms. A very simple test requiring no more than half an hour, a test that is readily available in Barbados and that can be administered by excellent professionals, would resolve the question.

    Oh, and now to RN, who called me a “tool”.

    To re-quote RN: “This is a blog, not a school room.”

    Right. On this one single thread on this blog, the owner is reproducing covert video of little girls wiggling their bottoms, while he’s simultaneously (i) deploring the state of education in Barbados; (ii) giving the video a wider audience; and (iii) murdering the English language in an international arena accessible to the very schoolchildren whose education he deplores.

    He posts a video condemning their activities and writes about it in a way so pitifully incoherent that any schoolchild should be taught to avoid writing in that way. And the kids can (and will) see the blog that is “not a school room”.

    They’ll see things like this:

    “You get highly offended when your white thrash counterparts taste the wrath of Black People.”

    “You & your white thrash family & friends could go and find some place to exterminate you all self.”

    “This world will be peaceful with less white thrash people on it.”

    “You & your white thrash family & friends exit this world.”

    Nice … may your god go with you, chicos.

  2. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Anyone noticed that not all the girls in the classroom are involved?

  3. TheNickster Avatar
    TheNickster

    I saw this video and thought those are the politicians of the future. Seriously. Good old days you say? with the drunken beatings, the incest and not to mention the whole women’s rights thing null and void? The earlier comments sound heavily communistic, boot camp, strict structure, radio and Tv censorship. Why stop there, bring on the mood altering drugs and the mind control devices, control for school children when most of the voting age folk can’t even control themselves? preposterous! I have seen things like this in school and some of them have made great successes of themselves, so one instance of someone’s life determining the whole-out come? Please.

    If sitting and behaving like good little drones produces the likes of Noel Lynch, Mia Mottley and those of the DLP camp, I’ll pick the gyrating desk dancers everytime.

  4. John Avatar
    John

    David // July 18, 2009 at 7:09 pm

    It is known that much of Black history in Barbados was recorded by Whites who owned the slaves.
    It is reasonable to think deliberately or not we all have our filters.
    Agree with you John!
    ++++++++++++++++++

    I don’t know if I would agree with the statement that much of Black history in Barbados was recorded by Whites who owned the slaves.

    I know of a “History” book published in 1649 by Richard Ligon who owned no slaves as far as I am able to determine.

    He was an Englishman visiting Barbados, but more than likely “white”.

    There is the Reverend Griffith Hughes who published a natural History book in 1750.

    I have not checked but it is possible he owned slaves. More than likely he was “white”.

    There is John Poyer who published 1805 and more than likely owned slaves and then there is Robert Schonburgk who published his work in 1850 or thereabouts.

    Definitely he did not own slaves. Both of them probably “white”.

    Unless I can find corroboration of statements in these history books from other sources I view the statements therein as possibly being false because these books contain interpretations these gentlemen made based on facts not available to me.

    When I speak of the History of an era I mean an interpretation of a set of facts from that era.

    It is true that most of the data points (hesitate to call them facts) from the era of slavery would most likely have been recorded by people who could be described as “white” but not all of them owned slaves.

    I view letters from people of the era, or reports etc. as data points and consider them facts when they can be independently corroborated or referenced against some other data point.

    The parish registers during the era of slavery were recorded by parish priests.

    I view a baptism certificate, marriage certificate, or burial certificate as a fact.

    I am pretty sure all of these priests would have been “white” but some of them may not have owned slaves.

    I’ll have a look at the 1817 returns and see how many reverends owned slaves.

    I can remember seeing a Reverend Scott and a Reverend from the Sharon Moravian Church, think his surname was Danson, who made returns but can’t remember any more off the top of my head.

    I remember being quite amazed by this when I went through the returns in detail as figured I would have seen numerous Reverends.

    I view wills and deeds as facts.

    Many of these would have been caused to have been recorded by “white” people who owned slaves but I figure many would also have been caused to have been recorded by Free Negroes and Free Mulattoes who may or may not have owned slaves ….. and of course “white” people who did not own slaves .. not to mention Jews, and Quakers.

    History could never be as straightforward as “black” and “white” because there are so many shades of grey.

    That is why I find it so interesting.

    So this is all I keep saying.

    “Black” and “white” don’t work in understanding Barbadian society.

  5. John Avatar
    John

    Carson C. Cadogan // July 18, 2009 at 9:37 pm

    Anyone noticed that not all the girls in the classroom are involved?
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++

    I don’t remember the whole of my form ever receiving a flogging but certainly we were regularly in detention.

    Sometimes only one boy was guilty but all paid because none would give up the boy.

    It is called shared responsibility!!!

    When Cabinet makes a boo boo like Greenland all members are expected to close ranks.

    They did, but they were not called to account, ….. no flogging or detention, so we have $50 million gone!!

    I have no doubt there were instigators and the thing got out of hand but in my view the only way a form member could get off is if that form member was absent from school or could account for their whereabouts when the video was taken.

    I would not expect the non participants to own up and implicate the instigators, unless school has changed significantly from my day.

  6. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Once again Jack Bowman enters, records his thoughts and we are none wiser. Such is to be expected from language mavens, it’s the only authority they have.

    Quotations2000: The teachers are fighting a losing battle because even the language mavens are losing their grip on the distinction. — Steven Pinker in Words and Rules ISBN 0060958405, p. 77

  7. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    @LIB
    Minor spelling mistakes can often be interpreted/skated over. Misuse of words can cause confusion. That said, I think we give each author the benefit of the doubt, and if in real doubt, spend time to seek clarification. Each of us, makes the slip of the digit, and spell/grammar checker is not here to help. That said, some will wish to make points on grammar (and they may be or seem snide and/or childish)

    Let me “interjeck” here; as I may have “interseed” in the past. lol! I wanted to write “interjuck” (uh “jucking in muh mout)

    Were you interpreting and skating over here? http://livinginbarbados.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-07-05T06%3A22%3A00-04%3A00

    The truth is likely to be that you are just as childish and silly as Jack Bowman. To give credit were due, you for the most part do make valuable contributions to BU. Jack Bowman is yet to do so. Thus far it appears he is experiencing some reluctant to move away from critiquing spelling and grammar mistakes. Maybe for once he can devout some space to share his thoughts on what is being said. I am sure he understands it all.

  8. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Adrian Hinds // July 19, 2009 at 12:44 am

    @LIB
    Minor spelling mistakes can often be interpreted/skated over. Misuse of words can cause confusion. That said, I think we give each author the benefit of the doubt, and if in real doubt, spend time to seek clarification. Each of us, makes the slip of the digit, and spell/grammar checker is not here to help. That said, some will wish to make points on grammar (and they may be or seem snide and/or childish)

    Let me “interjeck” here; as I may have “interseed” in the past. lol! I wanted to write “interjuck” (uh “jucking in muh mout)

    Were you interpreting and skating over here? http://livinginbarbados.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-07-05T06%3A22%3A00-04%3A00

    The truth is likely to be that you are just as childish and silly as Jack Bowman. To give credit were due, you for the most part do make valuable contributions to BU. Jack Bowman is yet to do so. Thus far it appears he is experiencing some reluctance to move away from critiquing spelling and grammar mistakes. Maybe for once he can devote some space to share his thoughts on what is being said. I am sure he understands it all.

  9. RN Avatar
    RN

    Jack B:

    I think you’re too fussed about grammar/clarity of expression and so on. Perhaps unintentionally (I’ll be charitable) you come across as patronizing and supercilious.

    But your other substantive criticisms of this thread are valid.

    A video of a bunch of Bajan children messing around is hardly a sign of the end of civilization as we know it. And a few of the comments do suggest a lip-smacking prurience that’s both creepy and risible.

    One other thing: negroman’s pathetic comments really don’t merit reposting. The guy’s obviously not right in the head.

    He’s scared, helpless, full of an inchoate rage he just doesn’t know what to do with. An anonymous blog like this is his only outlet.

    Pity him.

    But don’t quote him…

  10. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    What has Negroman said to warrant YOUR opinions of him?

  11. Livinginbarbados Avatar
    Livinginbarbados

    @AH
    “The truth is likely to be that you are just as childish and silly…” [I always try to stay in touch with my childish side. With a 5 year old often on hand, it gives me an even chance. I really believe much of what I have read about the value of laughter, http://www.umm.edu/features/laughter.htm%5D

  12. Mongoose Avatar
    Mongoose

    If you do not know the answer to that question AH, then you are to be pitied also.

  13. Yardbroom Avatar
    Yardbroom

    Anger can be demonstrated in many ways, but to see a supposed intelligent man enraged because of a slight by someone he deems subliterate – his term – is illuminating.

    Barbadian society is complex and sometimes difficult to understand, but the rage and subliminal messages evident on this thread is testimony to its complexity under a superficial calm.

    Some people are intelligent and thus able to “understand” learn and think things out quickly. Unfortunately some are only able to “understand”…that is both sad and unfortunate, when it can be seen in unbridled wrath and a diminishing of their esteem.

    You and the person you criticise are the same; your work is parallel and the tragedy is that you with your claimed intellectual ability cannot see it; an entrenched position laying waste to all who do not concur or see the world as you do, or as you perceive they should.

    How could your self esteem be so brittle that it matters so much what a subliterate – you term – says about you.

    Ps: Your personal attacks, even of the most vicious kind will have no effect on me.

  14. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Man Yardie, I was hoping to get back to this thread to continue coaxing Bowman/Mongoose to, contravene RN’s call not to quote Negroman, and then to parallel any offered up, to statements they themselves have uttered. Their comments and retorts are soaked in the delusion of superiority. “How dare they?” they seemly ask! And so we must be whipped.

    @LIB
    A child is more likely to misspelled than to laugh at someone else’s spelling and bad grammar. But if you must, once a man twice a child.

  15. mash up & buy back Avatar
    mash up & buy back

    Yardbroom & Adrian

    It seems to me that jack bowman and mongoose and the others who may very well be one and the same.
    They are all fixtures at Barbados Free Press (BFP) who have been very strident in their condemnation of BU and their calls for BFP to remove BU from its side bar.

    To now have to crawl back to the very blog they have been condemning speaks volumes.

    Despite their juvenille attempt at trying to goad bloggers by their stupid comments about grammar,bloggers should know that it is persons like negroman and hopi etc they are really getting at.

    BFP is almost at the comatose stage and it is obvious no one is reading Bowman et al’s condemnation of negroman,hopi and BU that they make over at the BFP,so they have come over here seeking to be disruptive,knowing how lenient David can be.

    I deliberately ignore them,and just refuse to read any of thier postings,except when it is incorporated in someone else’s post.

    Everytime I see them and Piedpiper posting here,I know that BU is doing something right.

  16. livinginbarbados Avatar
    livinginbarbados

    @AH: I won’t be spellbound by the misspelling. We adults are not children and can choose which childish paths to take. I would teach my child to spell correctly and show that the misspelling can create the laughable, sometimes in a manner than offend, other times in a manner that should be taken as pure mirth. I’m laughing off the loss of electricity this bright morning. I will just rest for a spell.

  17. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Indeed BFP is hurting badly. Every now and then they post some article that jumpstarts interest in their blog, albeit temporary. What is consistent for them leads to inconsistent link popularity results. Often times third last of the ten bajan related blogs I track. Last week they moved to number one as result of an article with little bajan content. Similar was acheived at the expense of Rihanna. Contrast with BU who has alternated in the top 5 of ten sites 95% of the time with Bajan content. Their goose have been cooked a long time ago.

  18. Saying Nuttin Avatar
    Saying Nuttin

    Most of you guys are old and out of touch. You simply don’t understand that the behaviour shown is not just innocent children wukkin up ; It is the manifestation of a bashment/dancehall/ghetto/ZR culture that can take over a person’s entire life; their body and mind.

    A culture which glorifies guns and ganja; scorns police, laws and lawmakers; denigrates “informers”; promotes misogynation and the denigration of women; glorifies lewd and crude behaviour and casual and promiscuous sex.

    Simply put it is undesirable. Nothing is wrong with wining and even wukkin up but the crude shit which passes for dancing in the ghetto culture and which has made its way into calypso and soca is defintely not to be condoned.

    How many of the apologists would be content to see their 12 or 13 year old daughter getting on so? how many of you would say it’s quite alright dear nothing wrong with expressing yourself?
    If you would expect your daughters to act with more class and decorum than the behaviour exhibited in the video why is it acceptable from other persons daughters?

  19. livinginbarbados Avatar
    livinginbarbados

    @Saying Nuttin: ” Nothing is wrong with wining and even wukkin up but the crude shit which passes for dancing in the ghetto culture and which has made its way into calypso and soca is defintely not to be condoned” (That’s slicing the cake and saying your piece is fine but the rest can’t be eaten. You really think that children wukkin up is ok? I’m not prudish but I know of what I would disapprove as behaviour from a child. Yours, older, wiser and very much in touch.)

  20. Saying Nuttin Avatar
    Saying Nuttin

    I take your point and i would clarify that I meant wukkin up (in a reasonable manner) and wining is ok for adults really. You are right in that children can dance but its really not acceptable for children to be gyrating in the sexual way which is “wukkin up” today.

  21. livinginbarbados Avatar
    livinginbarbados

    @David or anyone: Could you post the lyrics of Whitney Houston’s song, The Greatest Love, and let us reflect on that? Impossible to do from my cell phone.

    I believe the children are our are future
    Teach them well and let them lead the way
    Show them all the beauty they possess inside
    Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
    Let the childrens laughter remind us how we used to be
    Everybody searching
    for a hero
    People need someone to look up to
    I never found anyone to fulfill my needs
    A lonely place to be
    So I learned to depend on me

    Chorus:
    I decided long ago, never to walk in anyones shadows
    If I fail, if I succeed
    At least I live as I believe
    No matter what they take from me
    They cant take away my dignity
    Because the greatest love
    of all
    Is happening to me
    I found the greatest love of all
    Inside of me
    The greatest love of all
    Is easy to achieve
    Learning to love yourself
    It is the greatest love of all

    I believe the children are our future
    Teach them well and let them lead the way
    Show them all the beauty they possess inside
    Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
    Let the childrens laughter remind us how we used to be

    Chorus

    And if by chance, that special place
    That youve been dreaming of
    Leads you to a lonely place
    Find your strength in love

    Words and music by michael masser and linda creed

  22. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    John

    What sort of justice is that?

    Making Peter pay for Paul.
    What we saw on the video were children in a classroom as they are suppose to be. The low lives among them began to engage in very unseemly behavior. The decent ones sat at their desks peacefully as they are supposed to.

    Now you are telling me that when punishment is to be dish out all must be treated the same way, and that sounds reasonable to you.

    Therefore what you saying to children, do as you like, because it does matter not if you are good or bad you will all be treated the same way.

    If my daughter was one the children who sat peacefully at her desk and did not take part in the foolishness but still got punished, believe me all hell would then break loose, but this time from me.

  23. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    On a related note Peter Simmons argues that Gov’t intervention into the area of parental responsibility e.g providing subsidized Summer camps for children is a further extension of the Gov’t Welfare state and an intrusion into the family unit. He ends by hoping that the recipients of this “freeness” will become “exemplary citizens”.

    How do you folks see this benefit or not?

    http://www.nationnews.com/comments/guestcolumnists/peter-simmons-July-19-copy-for-web

  24. John Avatar
    John

    Carson C. Cadogan // July 19, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    John

    What sort of justice is that?

    Making Peter pay for Paul.

    +++++++++++++++++
    Carson

    That’s how it worked in my day?

    I’ll bet if your daughter was present and took no part and punishment was being dished out that she would want to be with her buddies.

    She would probably ask you to keep out of it.

    That’s just how the dynamic of the class system worked at school in my day …… and I think there is something positive to be said for it although it seems all wrong.

    … it is kind of like one for all and all for one.

    It is an honour thing.

    This is not a situation you snitch on friends … even though the same friends can get you in serious trouble.

    As horrible and loose as the exhibition appears these are still just children letting off steam and doing what they see adults do.

    However, they need to get the message that the behaviour is unacceptable, ……. but there is no need for overkill.

    Your daughter, if she was in the group, will survive any just punishment very well.

    You would only need to get involved if the authorities were to go overboard and administer some extreme punishment.

    I believe a parent’s job here should be to show solidarity with the authorities in administering discipline and to keep that discipline just and their child honest from here on.

  25. Livinginbarbados Avatar
    Livinginbarbados

    @Sargeant
    “He ends by hoping that the recipients of this “freeness” will become “exemplary citizens”. Very limited intervention here.

    Freeness is a total misnomer: it is paid for but not directly by the recipients: Joe and Jane taxpayer are paying. It’s a terrible misconception and one reason why so-called ‘free’ goods and services can cause much resentment.

    Camps can be good, depending on purpise and duration (but like day care, if it is simply a way to get ‘baby sitting’ then those who fear parental abrogation of responsibility have more of a case). Sending a child to camp for soccer, science, art, and a range of ‘vocational’ things that can be concentrated upon and not clash with the school day/curriculum can be very beneficial. One needs to look at purpose and quality. ‘Jack No-Real-Qualification’ giving junk tuition over a period of several weeks is getting money for old rope. Parents may well be glad to pay the $$ because they would otherwise have to find child care. Don’t throw out the baby and the bath water. Need to look carefully.

    A day without power now needs to be readjusted. Oh, I love progress!

  26. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    LIB

    Agree that camps can be useful, even if the childrens’ days are filled with recreational activity instead of vocational pursuits. The writer waxes a bit nostalgic when he harkens back to his childhood but time marches on. It would be interesting for him to focus on the difficulty that working parents face today vs his childhood and adolescent years when only one parent was apt to be working.

    The point about freeness is not lost, however many people don’t realise that they are really paying for what is supposed to be “free” and when you ask them to pay upfront they complain. “Freeness” has become a way of life, even our leaders of tomorrow– UWI students- who receive free education took to the streets and protested when the University requested fees for some activities.

  27. Livinginbarbados Avatar
    Livinginbarbados

    @Sargeant
    I honestly took most of the piece as twaddle (not often used these days) and unrealistic, because there was (as is also often the case) no real discussion of realistic alternatives, and dealing with consequences (‘idle hands…’).

    We know that as far as politics goes, ‘freeness’ is a stick and carrot,: who gives can then say others take away and vice versa, etc.. There are often groups of people who tend to be net recipients and those who are net payers. If that relationship does not change or seems way out of kilter therein lies a problem of serious marginalisation that politics may not be able to deal with. (It can also be played with other cards, as we know too well, eg, ‘foreigners get it for free’, and the ‘spongers’ kind of accusations that can often be levelled at certain groups.)

  28. najo Avatar
    najo

    Would you believe these dirty looking males have somebody girl child as a woman. Males get away with many un-natural things simply because the females have lower their standards.

  29. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    John

    “I’ll bet if your daughter was present and took no part and punishment was being dished out that she would want to be with her buddies.”

    Then you really don’t know my daughter. My daughter would not be involved in anything like that. All of our girls are not bad.

  30. John Avatar
    John

    Carson

    My point is it was open for the girls apparently sitting down and not taking part to get up and walk out.

    Don’t get caught on the video in the first place.

    This is what you would expect your daughter to do, and no doubt she would have done it.

    But by choosing to be present those girls sitting down are as much a part of the spectacle as any of the others who chose to be both present and “dance”.

    …. and once discipline is being administered, it should be administered to all present in the room.

    I think those present would have it no other way, they are buddies after all,

    …. and those administering the discipline, officials and parents, need to ensure no exceptions are made, hence my point about solidarity between the teachers and the parents.

    …. but the problem is that it would surprise none of us if two weeks down the line after Kadooment day there isn’t footage of the persons who are supposed to administer discipline appearing on Spring Garden in their skimpy costumes demonstrating to those children what is acceptable and what is not.

    That is just what we have managed to build as a society.

    We have invsted millions creating our culture.

    So to cut a long story short, I really do not expect any discipline to be administered.

    … and yup, our country is in real trouble.

  31. John Avatar
    John

    …. and Carson,

    Did you know that the Closed Brethren whose children I went to school with, have their own school, and have had their own school since the 1990’s?

    Isn’t that a clear a statement about what has been happening in our schools that they would have gone to the expense to create a separate school?

  32. Sapidillo Avatar
    Sapidillo

    There is a time and place for everything. I don’t fault the students for having a good time, enjoying themselves; I just don’t thing the venue chosen was the appropriate place. As the saying goes, “all work and no play/fun make Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl.” (laugh)

    In my school days, we as kids were also frown upon for doing certain things in the classroom. Two things that come to mind are: writing on the blackboard in the absence of the teacher without permission, running around the classroom.

    Looking back at such things, in my mind they were minuscule, but were seen as bad behavior. Furthermore to compare with what took place in the video. But then again, my school days were yesteryear and this is yesterday & today.

  33. Avatar
    Anonymous

    John

    the Closed Brethren want to be separated from other groups. They do not want their children exposed to other points of view. The opening of their own school is no indictment on state schools.

  34. John Avatar
    John

    Anonymous // July 20, 2009 at 9:10 am

    John

    the Closed Brethren want to be separated from other groups. They do not want their children exposed to other points of view. The opening of their own school is no indictment on state schools.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++

    … except that in my day at school, Closed Brethren children rubbed shoulders with me and other students in the Government school system as they had done long before.

    So you mean all of a sudden after generations of mixing, they suddenly decide not to let their children mix?

    Don’t buy that.

    I put it down to either the change to coed or introduction of computers but it wouldn’t surprise me if it is to do with the drop in discipline in schools.

    I understand that Major Hugh Barker was involved in the setting up of the school.

    I have worked on numerous projects in which Closed Brethren supplied goods and services and have not come across this feeling of wanting to be separate.

    Rather I have enjoyed the interaction.

    However I would agree that anyone who adheres too closely to any religion in Barbados does portray the separateness of which you speak from mainstream Barbados.

  35. Themis Avatar
    Themis

    @ John, why do you think they are called “Closed Brethren”? They choose the times and places to integrate. Can a non-member go to that a school?

  36. John Avatar
    John

    Themis // July 20, 2009 at 10:16 am

    @ John, why do you think they are called “Closed Brethren”? They choose the times and places to integrate. Can a non-member go to that a school?

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++

    To an extent, we all choose the place and time to integrate. I have never been to a Calypso Tent or to Spring Garden but that is my choice.

    However, Closed, I agree indicates separateness, and as you indicate it is unlikely that a non-member will go to that school but I do not know.

    Brethren on the other hand indicates fellowship with others, the opposite.

    But the point is that the school did not always exist, it is of modern vintage.

    If their children once integrated freely at Government schools in Barbados and now don’t, something must have changed in the past 20 years,

    ….. either in the Closed Brethren

    ….. or in the Government Schools,

    …. or both.

    I remember three differences at school.

    Firstly, they did not attend prayers ….. doubt any Moslem or Hindu children do.

    Secondly, they did not eat with us. This we figured was strange but it never interfered with the interaction we had.

    There was a third way in which they differed.

    They did not go into sixth form.

    I got the impression they became apprentices with businesses run by their families or other Brethren families and learned how to earn their keep in the world and then started families.

    In all other respects they were integrated into the school they attended.

  37. Themis Avatar
    Themis

    I had one in Upper Arts Sixth with me in the mid 70’s. Nice fellow too. Everyone wondered what he was doing there. Don’t know what has become of him.

  38. waiting impatiently Avatar
    waiting impatiently

    These young girls are just having fun. Not in the classical way, but have you ever heard of anyone condemning Swan Lake? It is the most sensuous ballet piece but it somehow is acceptable to all, I wonder why? Let these young girls have their fun and show their talents too. Can you move like that? I wish I could.

  39. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    @waiting impatiently
    Thats an interesting handle, and it’s even more so after reading you views in favour of this video. Google exploited black teens and tell us if such or something similar is what led to your handle.

    Sparrow sang something about not have white meat yet. lol! Do they have some sparrows in here? maybe of a different hue?

    These girls need to be told that their so called little fun can lead to exploitation later.

  40. victor Avatar
    victor

    I say again, Barbados has one of the highest rates of chiId AIDS in the deveIoped worId. And no, those chiIdren were not aII born with it, did not aII contract the disease in utero, they’ve been infected by maIe aduIts, often reIatives. PaedophiIes frequentIy use the excuse that “the chiId wanted sex”. From this video you couId understand why a paedophiIe might reach that concIusion. RN, I agree the whoIe thing is creepy. one couId argue that aII dancing is a form of sexuaI invitation, swan Iake incIuded but it’s not ok for chiIdren to perform an erotic dance when they are not abIe to protect themseIves from the consequences. These are young human beings at schooI, where you Iearn to grow up, stiII in a pIace in Iife when they need to be protected by aduIts, too young to fend for themseIves in this worId. Do we think chiId Iabour is ok? No. RightIy, there are Iaws against it. I’m not taIking about heIping out, I mean expecting a chiId to fend for itseIf in an aduIt worId. That is what happens when a human chiId is sexuaIised too earIy. It does not have the physcaI, emotionaI or mentaI maturity to fend for itseIf in an aduIt worId, or deaI with the consequences, eg chiIdbirth. There are many exampIes, India for instance, where young girIs are married off when 12 or 13 or even younger, get pregnant and die in chiIdbirth because their bodies just cannot cope, not being fuIIy deveIoped. Just because a chiId may show earIy signs of physicaI maturity, having a period or starting a beard, does not mean that chiId is ready to be a mother, or work in a bank, own a gun or support a famiIy.

  41. Marlehole Avatar
    Marlehole

    It must be said! to their credit; all but one had the decency to take their shoes off while standing on the desk. Except one!

    We have to work on her.

  42. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    I am no fan of Trevor Prescod but since when does a visit to a Gov’t Dept. to inquire about Gov’t support of a day camp constitute “trespassing”?

    Looks like the Gov’t is using the Police to harass their political opponents. If so they are embarking on a dangerous journey

  43. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I currently go to a secondary school, I don’t see anything wrong w/ this video, well a lot worse happens on a day-to-day basis…P.S i don’t go to this school featured in this video

  44. Live The Life Weh Ya Love Avatar
    Live The Life Weh Ya Love

    Oh Gimme A Break Wanna Need TO GO And Find SOmething Else TO Talk And Complain About , Cause The More Wanna Complain The More They Gunna DO IT SO Just Breeze! And Wha Happen To This Video? Girl Wukin Up? Alright!! Big Deal!!! Wanna GOtta Realize We Only Have One Life To Live . Look At How Many Innocents Dies Each Day , Not Only In Barbados But Around The Word.. Try And Live Up Wanna Selves ! Wake Up And Smell The Coffee! 2011 .

  45. business electricity tariff Avatar
    business electricity tariff

    I always spent my half an hour to read this blog’s posts every day along with a mug of coffee.

  46. focusbarbados Avatar
    focusbarbados

    Reblogged this on Focus Barbados and commented:

    WHERE ARE BAJANS RELUCTANT TO ACT WHEN THEIR FUTURE, THE CHILDREN, ARE AT RISK?

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