Sylvia Wynter's Dream

by jessiemayers | Class Blog 1

The new academic year 2023/2024 has ushered in a new era of “Dunce” labelled items, much to the excitement of students who wear the branded paraphernalia to support this pop culture trend and to the much less enthusiastic grumbles of disapproving educators.

Dr. O’Neil Ankle, principal of the Jonathan Grant High School, vehemently expressed his dismay about this trend. 

“Students who show up at Jonathan Grant High School tomorrow carrying backpacks with the word ‘Dunce’ printed on them will be barred from classes.” – “No Dunce Allowed.” The Gleaner

The word dunce refers to a person who is academically challenged or stupid. However, the word was popularised by Jamaican Dancehall artiste Valiant with his hit song “Dunce Cheque”.

A cursory search on Google shows how all major news outlets in Jamaica have released articles concerning this Dunce bag controversy. But it leaves me to question why there is so much uproar about a bag. Some articles speak about the harmful culture perpetuated by wearing dunce-labelled items, citing articles with data that supposedly link dunce-ness and crime. 

“Therefore, dunce culture is another responsibility teachers must include in their already extensive list of stressors and another category of anti-education and pro-crime individuals getting ready for the streets.” – The Danger of a ‘dunce’ Backpack. Jamaica Observer

But at the end of the day, a backpack is meant to carry books; whatever is written on it is unimportant. School dress codes and grooming policies contain specifications on the actual uniform – shirts, pants, skirts and shoes- with no mention of any restrictions on bags. 

Draft Policy for Student Dress and Grooming

Preventing a child from attending school because of the brand of their bag is highly discriminatory and has no footing in any rules set by the school or the Ministry of Education. Minister for Education Fayval Williams urges to refrain from denying students access to school if they wear a dunce-labelled bag.

“[T]he age-old practice of denying access to education as punishment is not only counterproductive, it is illegal”. – Schools told not to turn away students carrying ‘Dunce’ backpack. Loop

Ultimately, there are more pressing matters within Jamaican society that require more attention from educators; the brand of the bag a child wishes to wear is not one of them. What should we care about more, a child attending school with a dunce bag or staying home getting dunce?