The Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (ESCTT) is appalled but not shocked by the treatment of the children at the graduation ceremony of Trinity College. We have been closely monitoring the many voices emerging from our national community in response to the issue of the young men of Trinity College who were ostracised by their school principal on the day of their graduation. We interpret this act as tangible evidence of the ongoing discrimination against people of African descent, which is embedded in our society as part of its colonial inheritance. Removing such discriminatory practices is part of the unfinished business of emancipation and independence.
We at the ESCTT are heartened by the level of consciousness and solidarity demonstrated by many of our citizens. A healthy, enlightened and civilized society whose members respect themselves, their history, culture, identity and that of others within the society, should all be rallying for the human rights of the children which have been abridged. We envisage living in a society where the human rights of all are respected and safeguarded.
Our society must remove the vestiges of institutionalised and systemic racism and discrimination, manifested in rules and regulations which were designed to denigrate, disempower (through micro and macro levels of control over body and mind) and stimulate self-hate among Africans while assuaging the imagined fears of the colonial masters. Yes, we do have to break rules and regulations that are unjust and not in our best interest, such as rules that reinforce hair discrimination and we congratulate the students for maintaining their stand in this matter. Challenging such rules becomes a necessary course of action, as exemplified by Rosa Parks’ refusal to relinquish her bus seat, an act that catalysed the end of segregation in US public transportation. Discipline does not equate to compliance with rules and regulations that perpetuate humiliation and cultural denial.
We are in the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, and Trinidad and Tobago has agreed to the Programme of Activities proposed for implementation during this decade. We therefore appeal to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, the Equal Opportunity Commission and the Ministry of Education for immediate remedial action, referencing the article which advocates for the prevention of discrimination against children of African descent in both public and private education systems, which states in part:
Take measures to ensure that public and private education systems do not discriminate against or exclude children of African descent, and that they are protected from direct or indirect discrimination, negative stereotyping, stigmatization and violence from peers or teachers; to this end, training and sensitization should be provided to teachers ……..
The Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago has reached out to the Ministry of Education, The Equal Opportunity Commission and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association, well before this incident, offering a collaborative approach to address issues which negatively impact students of African descent and enhances the cultural sensitivity of our teachers. We remain ready to support this action, for the success of our students in the education system and to allow them to achieve their full potential.
We at the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago also consider ourselves a key stakeholder when it comes to education in Trinidad and Tobago, in fact we actively participate in the process through providing opportunities for learning directly to students in in both primary and secondary schools. In this regard we look forward to receiving an invitation from the Ministry of Education to participate in the stakeholders’ meeting planned for July 6th, 2023.