THE EDITOR, Sir:
Behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining. Sometimes, if we do not look for it, we miss it. As a mother of a daughter and two sons, I hurt at the thought of this very sad event. As a principal of a kindergarten and preparatory school I also hurt; and as a Christian, I feel wounded. However, the deeds cannot be undone and the only value that can be gleaned is the lessons we can learn.
The lessons: a) It is never right to do wrong. b) The fear of man brings a snare. c) We must ensure as educators and parents that our children are never afraid to tell us the truth, regardless of the consequences. What of the memory gems we were taught as children, e.g.. 'Speak the truth and speak it ever, cost it what it will. He who hides the wrong he's done, does the wrong thing still'? d) We have failed to push the 'Values and Attitudes Campaign' to our detriment, so that today, our children do not have the character values to empower them to make right choices.
No 90 per cent integrity
There is no 90 per cent integrity. You either have it or you don't. Christians who think that they can indulge in the wonders of sex as long as they do not go all the way are just plain deceiving themselves. There is so much teaching to the contrary. It is so easy to stifle our conscience when we want to do what we want to do. As a society we need to revisit the way we are bringing up our boys.
Young men who have not yet left school already think it is acceptable to disrespect and abuse the opposite sex. Are these boys representatives of the 'new Jamaican school boy'? If so, we are in trouble as a society. Can there be redress? What more meaningful role can schools play in safeguarding the fabric of our society? Distorted passion cannot be at the heart of who we are as a people. There is a time and place for everything.
Biblical teaching
All the children in this saga have been exposed to Biblical teaching on sexual morality. Something is wrong in our churches if our young people do not know what to do with their sexuality because the church sweeps the issue under the carpet as if sex does not exist. What is their option? To indulge from afar - they buy magazines, soak in all they can get from cable TV, watch blue movies, fantasize and videograph sexual exploits to satisfy their lust.
I commend the media for bringing this to light in the way it did. Our society needed this wake-up call. Parents needed it (so many more lessons to learn from their perspective). Our schools needed it. It can't be business as usual in the way we prepare children for life. Church leaders needed it. Nine years maximum incarceration for such an offence is archaic in my opinion, and speaks to gender issues because the victims of carnal abuse are usually women. Many lives have been marred; an entire nation shaken; many school children confused. Let us not make this deplorable crime another nine-day wonder. We have a nation to build.
I am, etc.,
SHEEA HEWAN Brown (Mrs.)
Principal, Grace Christian Academy,
15 Swallowfield Road, Kingston 5.
