Excelsior High students permitted to bacchanal in carnival
When Excelsior students received letters informing them that this year’s carnival road march was off limits, it was a major disappointment for those who had signed up. But that news was viewed as a complete affront for carnival organizers and with utter disgust by the band leaders. Marina Welcome—leader, and founder of the Jump Street Posse carnival band—was particularly vocal because Excelsior students formed a large part of her band . Welcome also mentioned investments of close to twenty-five thousand dollars. It seemed like an impossible situation but we are happy to report that all is not lost because the high school’s principal handed down a decision today, that the students will be allowed to take part in the festivities… at least for this year. Reports indicate that after a parent-teachers’ meeting and much consideration, it was decided that this year would be an exception since the money is already spent. Ministry of Education Information Officer, Arlette Gomez, who also serves as the school’s public relations officer, spoke to us via phone today to clarify the school’s position.
Arlette Gomez, Information Officer, Ministry of Education (via phone)
“Most high schools in Belize have that rule that their students cannot participate in the carnival road march. That is their position with regards to the carnival. But I think that the principal is saying that she is willing to understand that some monetary investment has been made prior to the students’ coming back to school and being reminded that they are not supposed to participate in the carnival. And so because of that, she is willing to allow them to participate this year.
I must mention here that these decisions are not ministry of education decisions. One; Excelsior is yes a government high school but it is managed by a board who does make these decisions for the school. It’s not decisions that are made by the Ministry of Education. We do not interfere in the day to day running of the school. So after we spoke with the principal and we consulted with her, that decision came about through the management and administration of the school.
What the principal is saying is that she had a parent teachers meeting and nobody objected to when that point came up in the meeting. There were no real objections and only one parent went to her after the meeting to express some concerns. So when it was in the media, she was a little bit thrown because she didn’t know that the parents were having an issue with it because nobody had really gone to her with it as an issue until it came out in the media.”
A number of other schools have long standing rules that prohibit students from participating in the carnival road march. This would have been the first year for the rule to be enacted at Excelsior.
