Let us try a new thing for a new way of being

Crime and violence continue throughout the land. Videos circulate rapidly through social media with schoolchildren acting out in acts of disobedience and violence. The usual school ‘devotions’ prevail. And yes, the talks about conflict resolution and discipline abound, as promised interventions are to be increased.

Only two weeks before one student stabbed another, who succumbed to the ruthless act, another video showed a mother demanding that her daughter, clad in school uniform, hit another girl in the face (also clad in school uniform). No regard for peace. No regard for school. No regard for a more functional way of being. Should we be surprised?

We are yet to seize the opportunity to work with truth in the realm of teachable moments. Three neglected areas for practical exploration are: (1) Making practical use of videos which are already being circulated among children. (2) Making more practical use of assembly time in schools. (3) Assuming that there is a high level of dysfunction in our teenage population.

A time may come when the Bible will be available only with a PG-13 disclaimer. This is because there is material therein that would not be allowed to be accessed by children, as if it were another text! The Bible is, however, a text that presents the good, the bad, and the ugly. That is why it requires much guidance for those who would read.

The time has come for us to critically engage the minds of our children with the same videos that are being circulated showing much trauma and gore. The time is now for us to do group process with children and help them to navigate the dangers, threats and potential harm from the dysfunctional behaviour, the implications of the recordings, and how to address being empowered to escape these traps

ATTENTION TO HUMAN-RIGHTS PRINCIPLES

The society is full of hype and bling around who can produce the biggest talk and claim crowd appeal. Even politicians and pastors are dancing around hard truths, in an effort to stay in the good books of constituents.

You may have seen that video in which a uniformed schoolgirl held up a cell phone while showing a video of a boy’s genitals. She then proceeded to ridicule his size, and declare that she would never take anything little like that. We do not know if any of what she claims about herself is true. What is clear is that she was completely unaware of the fact that she was being recorded, and the potential implications of that for her, since that post will always be on the Internet.

One of the most wasted times in schools is that of assembly time. Especially when it is used to parade denominational preaching and endless singing of choruses which leave children tired, and sometimes even amused. Teachers know only too well that some of the biggest fights take place just after devotions, where everyone was caught up in the singing of F ather Abraham had many sons or I’ve got the Spirit.

Just imagine school assembly time being used to always draw practical attention to human-rights principles. Just one principle may be the focus for a week, or even a month. Imagine if we invested more time in modelling and teaching empathy. And, just imagine if the dignity of every member of the school community was affirmed every day.

Imagine a school community where meditation techniques and relaxation tools were used to equip children and staff to work with the stress and challenge of daily life. Imagine a school community where there was a zero-tolerance approach to the use of any form of hate speech and threats against others. However, this is easier said than done when you live in a society that exalts the practice of putting down and demeaning others.

COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT

Given Jamaica’s history of brutal slavery and the attendant consequences of landlessness, poverty, social decay, self-hate, classism, stigma and discrimination, and the many unplanned families, we should assume that there is a high level of dysfunction in our school population. We are going to have to move away from seeing prayer as a magic wand, to a more holistic approach which affirms a comprehensive treatment informed by insights and tools from the social sciences.

A saved individual must be part of a saved community. A saved community includes an environmentally friendly space that is free from crime and violence. We need each other. Individualistic religious approaches have failed. ‘Jesus’, ‘me’, and ‘I’ will not suffice.

The psychological challenges, the social dislocation, the economic realities, the emotional baggage and the adverse childhood experiences are too many for us to expect to see peaceful, productive, happy children being the common presentation across our schools. Caring for each other and supporting our children, informed by the Jamaica that we want to build, must be the project of the entire school community and family system. The panacea does not reside in counsellors and deans of discipline. Let us try a new thing for a new way of being. Prayer and work conquer all.

Fr. Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human rights. seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com .