Tyranny of the Minority

EDITOR: They threw tantrums disrupting classes and sometimes the whole school, faking medical emergencies. The trips to the emergency room always resulted in the doctor diagnosing “nothing is wrong with these students.” Now, years later when asked why they caused such time-wasting commotions, they are speechless.

Another student stole the electronic scale to use in his pharmaceutical business. The disruption caused to the science classes, especially the chemistry ones, was devastating. We wonder whether the year of no result in CSEC chemistry coincided with the missing electronic scale. Then there were the habits of certain students to break out fights at school. Entering school as spoilt brats, without any restraint, they refuse to submit to any authority.

Corporal punishment might have been useful, but it was replaced with counselling, but many schools do not have access to such services.

The classic case is that of the student who broke into the office and falsely reported that it was one of the administrators who committed the crime.

This resulted in visits by detectives to conduct “investigations.” In other jurisdictions, this would attract a charge and possible imprisonment. Some students are clearly in need of psychiatric care but there is apparently no adequate provision for such.

Staff also express their tyranny on the school in different ways. The janitor refuses to attend to cleaning instructions because they have no respect for the school authority, claiming that they are only accountable to the politicians who employed them. Other workers too, think that they have special powers by virtue of their political connections and cause disruptions in other ways.

Late arrivals derail any well-laid-out plans for a smooth workday. There are always things to be put in place to make the day productive. When the administrators set up slow classes of over 20 students, contrary to research, I accomplished nothing unless I set up the class in the cooperative learning mode. For the smooth running of the school, those who are usually early are assigned the early periods, while the chronic late comers are assigned later classes. Assembly is always held later in the day so that everyone will be present to hear motivational speeches, and important information.

The minority continue to perpetuate their tyranny on the majority by keeping information away from them. If communities have access to comprehensive school reports of CAPE, CSEC, and CPEA, they will do something about it. If workers had access to the actuarial reports of their pension fund, and have adequate representation on the board, they will take action to make it sustainable. If the business community had access to the country audited financial report for the previous year, they would be better positioned to make decisions to improve the country’s economy. Accurate population census, and poverty reports are essential for proper planning. Nepotism, corruption, and lack of meritocracy by the minority are the main causes of crime. The tyranny perpetrated on the majority by the minority must end.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD