Another day another vicitm
So I wanted my step-daughter to start first grade. As the proud father of an exceptionally gifted child I looked for all institutions, in all counties and in all districts. I even went as far as looking for schools in the nearby islands. Correct. Here in the caribbean we are not surrounded by neighborhoods, but by islands. Water to be more precise.
During my search I found out that she could only be registered for the coming semester in September in any school that belongs to the district where we live. It just happens we do not live in the nicest area in the Bahamas. In fact, it is quite poor and this was at the heart of my search quest: to find the best possible school -potentially if not appropriately somewhere else- so that she doesn't remain poor, as we all are.
Well, guess what. The fair and novel authorities in the island had a brilliant thought. To foster community involvement and ties between neighbors they issued this ridiculous law where children could only be taught in places where they live, according to some weird mapping of the island. This, no doubt, seems like a honorable intention but on closer inspection it is something that could have easily been the offspring of some modern, tanned caribbean, salsa-dancer Maquiavello. Think about it. While not allowing children to mix and mingle, the poor only meet the poor, strengthens ties with the poor and thus, remains poor. Or at least, being that this is the only world they are being exposed to, there is a greater chance that they will never come out of that corner of the Universe. And for the rich kids there is nothing but vast opportunities. On next installment I will comment on my rebellious stance. Stay tuned.
During my search I found out that she could only be registered for the coming semester in September in any school that belongs to the district where we live. It just happens we do not live in the nicest area in the Bahamas. In fact, it is quite poor and this was at the heart of my search quest: to find the best possible school -potentially if not appropriately somewhere else- so that she doesn't remain poor, as we all are.
Well, guess what. The fair and novel authorities in the island had a brilliant thought. To foster community involvement and ties between neighbors they issued this ridiculous law where children could only be taught in places where they live, according to some weird mapping of the island. This, no doubt, seems like a honorable intention but on closer inspection it is something that could have easily been the offspring of some modern, tanned caribbean, salsa-dancer Maquiavello. Think about it. While not allowing children to mix and mingle, the poor only meet the poor, strengthens ties with the poor and thus, remains poor. Or at least, being that this is the only world they are being exposed to, there is a greater chance that they will never come out of that corner of the Universe. And for the rich kids there is nothing but vast opportunities. On next installment I will comment on my rebellious stance. Stay tuned.
posted by cbonomi at 4:25 PM
