The Black Response to Education in Public Schools In Trinidad and Tobago
Many years ago one of our calypsonians “The Mighty Sparow” penned the following words:
Children go to school and learn well
Otherwise later on in life you will catch real hell
Without an education in your head
Your whole life will be all misery you better off dead
There is simply no room in this whole wide world
For an uneducated little boy or girl
Don’t allow idle companions to lead you astray
To earn tomorrow you have to learn today
Otherwise later on in life you will catch real hell
Without an education in your head
Your whole life will be all misery you better off dead
There is simply no room in this whole wide world
For an uneducated little boy or girl
Don’t allow idle companions to lead you astray
To earn tomorrow you have to learn today
More recently another calypsonian Gypsy was more specific when he wrote a calypso on the “little black boy”.
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the streets and off poverty
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the streets and off poverty
(See full lyrics in Appendix).
Gypsy's calypso while it won him the Dimanche Gras calypso crown caused much furor from those who were of the opinion that Gypsy targeted the young African males and that his calypso wreaked of racism. Though this was 15 years ago there are still those who are smarting from the stinging words to the “little black boy”.
One would feel that Sparrow’s calypso was more warmly received since it was more general and did not single out any particular race or ethnic grouping. It was specific to children – Africans, Chinese and Syrians, males and females - a general word of advice and caution to all children. On the other hand Gypsy's song was more targeted – Little – Black – Boy. No mistake can be made. It’s a Male of the Black Race and he is little. Little here could mean poor, lower class, under privileged. Or “little Black Boy” could (though unlikely) be an all embracive term for all black children. According to Rhonda Crystal Rambally (2007) that Gypsy meant the young Arican male is confirmed in his parliament speech on Sunday September 4th 2011.
Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters says in 1997 when he sang “Little Black Boy” he was criticized by “black” people. He said nothing had changed since he sang the song. Peters said young Afro-Trinidadians were still killing each other and the jails were occupied by them. He said it was unfortunate the hotspot areas were populated by Afro-Trinidadians. He was speaking in the Parliament on Sunday during the debate on the extension of the state of emergency. The extension has been approved for three months with a reduction in the curfew hours.
Peters said: “It was me, who many years ago when I looked at what young black people were doing to themselves in this country, I wrote a song called ‘Little Black Boy’ and the very black people today who are castigating this Government and who are in some way implying that they are calling a state of emergency only to suppress black people, they themselves, Mr Speaker, when I said to them:
‘Little black boy, go to school and learn;
‘Little black boy show some concern;
‘Little black boy education is the key to get you off the streets and off poverty.’
“Mr Speaker, black people are the ones who came down on my back very, very heavily and said I didn’t like black people for telling them that.” he added.
‘Little black boy, go to school and learn;
‘Little black boy show some concern;
‘Little black boy education is the key to get you off the streets and off poverty.’
“Mr Speaker, black people are the ones who came down on my back very, very heavily and said I didn’t like black people for telling them that.” he added.
Peters said the price the country was paying today for crime didn’t start with the current administration.
I took it upon myself to discuss with Winston (Gypsy) Peters his calypso and his analysis of the situation 15 years hence.
However regardless of the intent of Gypsy’s calypso it would be interesting to examine whether and which children have heeded the call of the Mighty Sparrow – go to school and learn well, was Sparrow's prediction true – otherwise later on in life you will ketch real hell. Was Sparrow correct when he said “there is simply no room in this whole wide world for an uneducated boy or girl”. Is the “little black boy” in Gypsy’s song the child who failed to heed the warning in Sparrow’s song. This study is concerned about that. In this study the “little black boy” is the young male of African decent. How has he responded to Sparrow's call. What exactly is the response and learning of the young African male in Trinidad and Tobago
If the words of Sparrow found its fulfillment in the young African male in Gypsy's song penned as follows:
"There was a little black boy,
Ah black boy was he
The boy when to school and he come out duncy
He never learn how to read, he never learn about Math
He never learn how to write, he never study bout that
All he study was his sneakers, his sneakers and clothes
He learn how to dress, and he learn how to pose
He cah get no work, he cah get no job
He decide to steal, and he decide to rob
But little black boy couldn't last long at all
The police put ah bullet though he duncy head skull"
Ah black boy was he
The boy when to school and he come out duncy
He never learn how to read, he never learn about Math
He never learn how to write, he never study bout that
All he study was his sneakers, his sneakers and clothes
He learn how to dress, and he learn how to pose
He cah get no work, he cah get no job
He decide to steal, and he decide to rob
But little black boy couldn't last long at all
The police put ah bullet though he duncy head skull"
What were the contributing factors to the educational demise of the “little black boy”?.
This study is intent about discovering or preferable uncovering the truth about "the little black boy".
The plight of “the black man”
Greg Mathis (2007) said “Despite centuries of oppression, rejection and denial of opportunity, we have made much progress in our journey for justice and equality”. The claim to be victims of oppression, rejection and denial of opportunity while it has been the black man’s for centuries, the black man is not unique. Indians, Jews, and even whites have been oppressed at different times. In the context of Trinidad and Tobago
Or is the black boy’s mentality those sentimentalized by the Leroy Calliste (The Black Stalin).
"stop all house wuk yuh doing
tonite we goin and ha some fun
ah juss feeling tuh party
de way we used to when we was young
just put on sumeting sexy
so you'll be free to move around
make sure de children okay
we eh comin home until mornin come
tonite de black man feeling tuh party...
tonite de black man feeling tuh jam jam jam jam
tonite de black man juss feel tuh boogie oogie
come on come on hold on tuh yuh man
n ley we do n ley we do
tonite we goin and ha some fun
ah juss feeling tuh party
de way we used to when we was young
just put on sumeting sexy
so you'll be free to move around
make sure de children okay
we eh comin home until mornin come
tonite de black man feeling tuh party...
tonite de black man feeling tuh jam jam jam jam
tonite de black man juss feel tuh boogie oogie
come on come on hold on tuh yuh man
n ley we do n ley we do
Methodology
A phenomenological approach will be adopted in this study. This study is not concerned with the conclusions that external parties have drawn about the black man. Neither is this study concerned with correlates of the black man's demise. It is concerned with the black man's own view of his own situation in the world and specifically in Trinidad and Tobago. What does he think of education? The need to be educated? And what exactly in the black man's view is education and what is the purpose of it? Findlay (2006) discusses phenomenology thus:
"phenomenology is the study of phenomena: their nature and meanings. The focus is on the way things appear to us through experience or in our consciousness where the phenomenological researcher aims to provide a rich textured description of lived experience"
Data Collection
- Indian African mix (observation of tertiary level institution
- Place at the entrance of major Tertiary level institutions
i. University of West Indies
ii. University of Trinidad and Tobago
iii. Southern University of the Caribbean
iv. School of Accounting
v. Costaat
- The Black child’s View of Education (Interview)
- Those in school
- Those out of school
- Black Teachers in Tertiary Level institution
- Black Principals
- Successful black males (successful GCE O’levels +)
- Black male dropouts
- Black vagrants and drug addicts
- Black prisoners
- Commentators on the Black man’s plight
- Winston Gypsy Peters
- Mighty Sparrow
- Black Stalin
- Dr. Job
- Selwin Cudjoe
- APPENDIX
There was a little black boy,
Ah black boy was he
The boy when to school and he come out duncy
He never learn how to read, he never learn about Math
He never learn how to write, he never study bout that
All he study was his sneakers, his sneakers and clothes
He learn how to dress, and he learn how to pose
He cah get no work, he cah get no job
He decide to steal, and he decide to rob
But little black boy couldn't last long at all
The police put ah bullet though he duncy head skull
(Gypsy - Little Black Boy Lyrics)
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the school and off poverty
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the street and all poverty
There was ah little black boy, ah rude boy was he
All the boy ambition was to conduct ah maxi
With ah ring in he nose, ah gold teeth in he mouth
He feel very proud when they call him ah tout
So proud was the boy, that the boy never learn
He coulda work hard and buy a maxi of his own
So he hustle for a dollar, he hustle for a smoke
He hustle so dat he could buy ah lil coke
Now he hook on de coke and off the maxi
And one more lil black vagrant in the country
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the street and off poverty
Little black boy, think bout yuh race
Little black boy, when will you find yuh place
Little black boy, go to school and learn
(Gypsy Lyrics - Little Black Boy Lyrics)
Ah black boy was he
The boy when to school and he come out duncy
He never learn how to read, he never learn about Math
He never learn how to write, he never study bout that
All he study was his sneakers, his sneakers and clothes
He learn how to dress, and he learn how to pose
He cah get no work, he cah get no job
He decide to steal, and he decide to rob
But little black boy couldn't last long at all
The police put ah bullet though he duncy head skull
(Gypsy - Little Black Boy Lyrics)
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the school and off poverty
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the street and all poverty
There was ah little black boy, ah rude boy was he
All the boy ambition was to conduct ah maxi
With ah ring in he nose, ah gold teeth in he mouth
He feel very proud when they call him ah tout
So proud was the boy, that the boy never learn
He coulda work hard and buy a maxi of his own
So he hustle for a dollar, he hustle for a smoke
He hustle so dat he could buy ah lil coke
Now he hook on de coke and off the maxi
And one more lil black vagrant in the country
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show come concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the street and off poverty
Little black boy, think bout yuh race
Little black boy, when will you find yuh place
Little black boy, go to school and learn
(Gypsy Lyrics - Little Black Boy Lyrics)
When you black, you just black, you cant help but be black
But because you are black, you dont stay in the back
Be black, be black, but be concious
Be black, be black, but be concious
Look in the front see who's the doctor
Look in the back, see who's the lawyer
Look in the bank, see who's the banker
Look at the business, who's the owner
Look at the staff, see who's the worker
Look at the drug, see who's the dan man
Look who eating out ah dem garbage can
Look in the jail see who you see dude
A lot ah little black boy just like you
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, show some concern
Little black boy, Education is the key
To get you off the street and off poverty
Little black boy, go to school and learn
Little black boy, you have to show some concern
Little black boy, think bout yuh race
Little black boy, when would you find yuh place
Wo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo x2
Little black boy, take ah look at yuhself
Little black boy, take ah look at yuhself
Little black boy, put yuh guns on the shelf
Little black boy, watch what yuh do
Little black boy, take ah good look at you
Little black boy, look at other people too
Little black boy, is that the way you should be
Little black boy, don't put drugs in yuh vein
Little black boy, it will drive you insane
Little black boy, and in yuh brain
Little black boy, don't you be no fool
Little black boy, keep yourself in school
Little black boy
When you black, you just black, you cant help but be black
But because you black, you don't have to stay back
Be black, be black, but be concious
Be black, be black, but be concious
Be black, be black, but be concious (repeat)
How do students of African origin feel about education? In primary schools, in secondary schools or in tertiary schools? Do they regard education as essential to their welfare in our society? I am curious about this. I have never taught a class over the last 6 years where the students of African origin outnumber the student of East Indian origin. In fact one of the classes that I currently teach contains 100% 100% EOS. Is this by chance or is it that SOAP (pronounced SWAPS)compared to SOIP (pronounced (SWIPS) are simple not interested in education?
