JTA President’s grooming statement ‘out of touch’ — FWCF

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF) says it is concerned by recent comments from Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President La Sonja Harrison calling for stricter dress code standards in public spaces, including schools, on the basis that established rules should simply be respected and upheld. In a statement on Saturday, the group described as deeply misguided “the level of effort invested in policing children’s hair, appearance and personal expression” citing reported comments from Harrison describing how symbols such as an “X” are placed on students’ clothing to indicate to parents that a particular length is considered prohibited.

The group maintained that at a time when teachers continue to teach without basic classroom resources including chalk, pencils, whiteboard markers, fans and air conditioning, the focus of the JTA President and education stakeholders should be on properly resourcing schools and advancing meaningful education reform. “FWCF reminds the JTA President that rules are not absolute. A rule does not become reasonable simply because it exists. Where a rule serves no rational purpose and negatively affects a child’s dignity, identity or sense of self, it should be challenged,” the organisation stated. It also expressed particular concern about what it described as the continued policing of Black children’s hair and appearance through arbitrary grooming standards. Stressing that Jamaica should not be creating an education system where children are made to feel humiliated or excluded because of harmless expressions of their identity, FWCF also highlighted a viral video showing a young schoolboy beside the Education Minister while a policewoman physically removed earrings from his person. “The organisation questions what legal…