Donald deCastro against school signage removal
The radio talk show host, who was speaking on his new radio show ‘Straight Talk’ last evening January 10, 2012, also likened the manner it was done to an act of dictatorship.
According to the talk show host, there are many colleges and universities around the world that are identified by slogans and even mascots and noted too that the name of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School was clearly written at the entrance of the school that “even a blind man could see it”, hence the slogan he said was not in any way replacing the real name of the school.
He also came in defense of the school’s principal Marieta Flax-Headley for speaking to the media about the issue as, according to him, she was exercising her freedom of expression. Ms. Headley had labelled the decision by the Ministry of Education to have the slogan on the school building removed as insulting. According to her, the school was given permission by former Minister for Education Hon. Andrew Fahie to use the slogan on the building at its own expense and it was done to boost pride among students and staff. According to our sources, Ms. Headley was summoned to a meeting with the Minister although it is still not clear if she will be disciplined.
She had also said that no one ever called the school to say why nor did the email, which stated the directive from the Minister, include a reason for the decision. “The school has a principal, and two assistant principals, not one of us were called. The sign is there for a reason and we got permission to put it there. I feel that the department should have had the courtesy to dialogue with us if there was a problem with the sign,” the principal had said.
. deCastro said the Minister’s way of handling the matter was disrespectful to the students and staff of the school as well as Virgin Islands pride and compared the Minister’s action to that of a dictator.
“This is a pride. The children are proud to say that we are the mighty might Scatliffe as their slogan said when they go out to sports. It is their identity and now they are taking it away from them, one email and the children are not proud anymore. It sends the wrong message and here we are trying to talk about national pride and you are taking yourself some pride from the children.”
One of the guests on the programme, Dr. Quincy Lettsome, agreed that there are many schools where slogans, theme songs and even mascots are identifiable with a learning institution and said the removal of the slogan from the school building would have not only hurt the teachers and principal of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School but the students as well as the past students, who would have used the slogan.
deCastro also said the Minister’s explanation was not justifiable and that the sign ‘The Mighty Mighty Scatliffe” should be put back up. Minister Walwyn had issued a statement on the matter in which he said it is a long standing policy for the Government of the Virgin Islands to name schools in honour of outstanding educators and that the Althea Scatliffe Primary School is one such institution. “The recent painting of what appeared to be a slogan on the school, though ingenious and fosters school spirit, is not in keeping with the expressed desire to honour those who served and the promoting of their legacy of service. The said signage has thus been removed from the school building after the principal was informed accordingly,” the statement had read.
Mr. deCastro has long been a fighter of Virgin Islands pride and identity and was also behind the formation of the movement- Virgin Islanders for a better Virgin Islands, which was registered on September 14, 1987. One of the main objectives of the then movement was to maintain and strengthen the integrity and culture of the Virgin Islands.
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