Dear Editor,
I have read with interest some assertions that made in an article written by Jamaica Observer Senior Reporter Howard Walker, published on Friday, January 30, 2015, titled 'Not for sale: Thwaites to move against 'buying' of student athletes'.
I would like to affirm that, to the best of knowledge, we have followed the guidelines laid down by Inter-secondary Schools' Sports Association for transfer students to participate in competitions. Jamaica College (JC) also has a Sports Committee of the Board of Management and also a subcommittee that approves transfer of students by the criteria approved by the school board.
No one can successfully provide evidence that the Jamaica College that I lead is involved in financial inducements that have been banded about.
Further, since I was a student at Munro College between 1977-1984 I have heard about the transfer of students for sports. Most recently led by Calabar, KC, Edwin Allen, Holmwood, Wolmer's Boys', Clarendon College, JC, St George's College and STETHS, et al have utilised this facility. JC, in recent times, has even lost athletes to Wolmer's Boys', KC and Calabar, but we took the hit and moved on; we are resilient. The minster has never come to our rescue.
I have not seen in any media where this has been highlighted. It is unfair to now target JC and St George's College just because of our recent successes. Transfer of students alone cannot win competitions. All the top teams had the quality to win U-19 football; but now we are playing 'sour grapes'.
It is not sufficient to get the Minister of Education to speak on this matter that he does not have full understanding about. The minister claimed that he has a letter of complaint from a school's past student association in the west, about a transfer, but this cannot be used as evidence against JC -- since he did not explicitly say that the complaint was about JC.
If the complaint was about JC, then he should provide JC the courtesy of discussing the matter with JC first to clarify if the allegations are true without trying to tarnish the image and reputation of the school. The Observer did not even pay us the courtesy to get our response.
JC, like many other schools, have have lost up to 10 per cent of our cohort to Campion College annually in the past 2006 to 2010. We did not hear any one complaining about this.
We also wait with bated breath to see whether you or any other media house will turn the spotlight on the transfers done for track and field this season as we engage in another Boys' and Girls' Championships.
JC will always abide by any rule or competition standard set, but we think that it is unfair and "vulgar" to try to tear the school down because we are once again the school of choice and "the number one school for champions".
I am more than available to also attend your office to further respond to or clarify our position in the interest of justice in similar fashion as that afforded to the Minister of Education.
Senator Ruel B Reid, CD, JP, MSc, BSc, DipEd
Principal
Jamaica College
rreid@jc.edu.jm
JC follows the rules, you're playing 'sour grapes'
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I have read with interest some assertions that made in an article written by Jamaica Observer Senior Reporter Howard Walker, published on Friday, January 30, 2015, titled 'Not for sale: Thwaites to move against 'buying' of student athletes'.
I would like to affirm that, to the best of knowledge, we have followed the guidelines laid down by Inter-secondary Schools' Sports Association for transfer students to participate in competitions. Jamaica College (JC) also has a Sports Committee of the Board of Management and also a subcommittee that approves transfer of students by the criteria approved by the school board.
No one can successfully provide evidence that the Jamaica College that I lead is involved in financial inducements that have been banded about.
Further, since I was a student at Munro College between 1977-1984 I have heard about the transfer of students for sports. Most recently led by Calabar, KC, Edwin Allen, Holmwood, Wolmer's Boys', Clarendon College, JC, St George's College and STETHS, et al have utilised this facility. JC, in recent times, has even lost athletes to Wolmer's Boys', KC and Calabar, but we took the hit and moved on; we are resilient. The minster has never come to our rescue.
I have not seen in any media where this has been highlighted. It is unfair to now target JC and St George's College just because of our recent successes. Transfer of students alone cannot win competitions. All the top teams had the quality to win U-19 football; but now we are playing 'sour grapes'.
It is not sufficient to get the Minister of Education to speak on this matter that he does not have full understanding about. The minister claimed that he has a letter of complaint from a school's past student association in the west, about a transfer, but this cannot be used as evidence against JC -- since he did not explicitly say that the complaint was about JC.
If the complaint was about JC, then he should provide JC the courtesy of discussing the matter with JC first to clarify if the allegations are true without trying to tarnish the image and reputation of the school. The Observer did not even pay us the courtesy to get our response.
JC, like many other schools, have have lost up to 10 per cent of our cohort to Campion College annually in the past 2006 to 2010. We did not hear any one complaining about this.
We also wait with bated breath to see whether you or any other media house will turn the spotlight on the transfers done for track and field this season as we engage in another Boys' and Girls' Championships.
JC will always abide by any rule or competition standard set, but we think that it is unfair and "vulgar" to try to tear the school down because we are once again the school of choice and "the number one school for champions".
I am more than available to also attend your office to further respond to or clarify our position in the interest of justice in similar fashion as that afforded to the Minister of Education.
Senator Ruel B Reid, CD, JP, MSc, BSc, DipEd
Principal
Jamaica College
rreid@jc.edu.jm
JC follows the rules, you're playing 'sour grapes'
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