Black on black racism

March 23, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am in complete agreement with Dr. Eva N. Hodgson?s letter to the Editor of March 12, 2004.

However, it is much more horrific and discouraging when one finds racism and jealousies so rampant amongst your own race ? black on black. When one is determined to do as they deem necessary and fit for themselves and/or their families and not mark time to the music of other blacks who are influential within the Bermudian community ? Racism is overwhelmingly apparent among your own.

ALASTAIR MACDONALD

City of Hamilton

Where?s the choice?

March 24, 2004

Dear Sir,

I sat and watched the news on Monday evening and heard the Minister of Education, Mr. Lister defend his decision to remove a P1 class from St George?s Prep School. He has completely ignored the rights of the parents to choose the school that they wish their child to attend. He has dismissed a perfectly viable solution to the situation put forward by the parents.

When a school has such a high demand for spaces doesn?t this tell the Ministry that this school has a good reputation and the parents like what they see.

So why deny parents this choice? No adequate answer to this question has been given by the Minister. The next night I sit and watch the Minister on the news again. This time he is telling parents to take an interest in their children?s lives from the early years to forge a good relationship with your child in the hope that they will not turn into on of these machete-wielding gang members that are causing problems outside the senior schools.

Is this not what the parents of the children denied entry to the Prep are doing? They are showing an interest in their child?s education and fighting for what they feel, in their opinion is the best option.

I live, work and use after-school care in St. George?s. I hate to think that my 4-year-old, scheduled to start school in September, 2005 will have to take a bus to schools as far afield as Elliott and Harrington Sound when a fully functional classroom is sitting empty on my doorstep, and a dedicated teacher has been let go.

Letting a five-year-old travel on the bus alone, with these gangs Mr Lister talks about out there, not to mention the odd child molester that gets released into the community without anyone?s knowledge ? I don?t think so!

This is not only an educational issue, it?s a child safety issue. With the increase in the population in St George?s over the last few years, supported by Government statistics, the Ministry should be adding spaces to the schools not taking them away. It?s a totally ludicrous situation that I, as a reasonably intelligent adult and parent cannot comprehend.

Education is the key to the success of the next generation, why is the Ministry of Education not supporting and encouraging those schools that are succeeding? To the Minister of Education: Listen to the people who put you where you are today.

To the Parents: I and many, many others support you all the way in your fight. Don?t give up ? for the sake of your children and those to follow in future years.