Northern Caribbean University female Cheerleader Suspended After playing male role in cheerleading show, thumb ring/pierced tongue designated as infractions

Clear discrimination here folks, no question asked sheer ignorance and a theocratic agenda by the the Seventh Day Adventist institution located in Manchester but I am not surprised as they have factored before in homo-negative matters with even one of its own heads facing scrutiny some years ago and an infamous attack of profiled students by other students. See the SDA's position on homosexuality HERE

First here is the Gleaner version of the matter  

NCU cheerleaders are seen here enacting a proposal atop a human pyramid. - Photo via Facebook

A female student at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) who was suspended after she played the role of a man in a cheerleading routine is accusing the university of discrimination.

During the March 4 cheerleading competition, the student enacted a wedding proposal and allegedly kissed the hand of another female atop a human pyramid while doing her routine.

In a Facebook post yesterday, the student disclosed that she had received a two-week suspension from NCU.

However, she believes the punishment was not fair given that she was the only one in the cheerleading group who was penalised.

According to the student, she was not the only one who performed or who was atop the pyramid and who took part in the mock proposal.

She says it was decided that she would represent the male in the proposal because a man would have been too heavy for the top of the pyramid.

She says the Brodie House Cheerleading team did not see anything wrong with the pyramid as they were aware of what the group was trying to depict.

No discrimination

Meanwhile, the NCU’s student government says there was no discrimination in the imposition of a penalty on the student.

A member of NCU’s student government in charge of student services, Darren Barrett who sat on the committee that met with the female student said she breached other university regulations.

Barrett says it was later determined that the student was responsible for changing the original routine which was not approved by a social committee.

He further says the student appeared before the Citizenship Committee without her identification card and had a pierced tongue.

Barrett says the other female student who was involved in the mock proposal was called to a meeting but did not turn up.

He says no action has been taken against that student.

ENDS

The subsequent audio with a voice described as Barrett's also reflected a disturbing mindset and autocratic decision making process at the leadership levels here singling out the student Mr Barrett said "She knew that she had a meeting with the Vice President of the University and came to the office without displaying her, without an ID, the student ID, also with a thumb ring whichever colour it was but she wore a thumb ring which she had no; which she knew I should say that she shouldn't have worn and so with that in mind the administration saw that as blatant disregard for the policy of the university therefore that adds to the suspension."

Really Mr Barrett? nitpicking here to find something to punish her for breaking the gender norms when it was a clear logistics matter in terms of weight of male students who would have been too heavy on top of females in forming the pyramid, I don't see the other participants complaining and some if not most of the students in the audience cheered in fact when the kiss was planted as the video shows the actual session @ 6:14/5 there was also some dissent as well if one closely examines the clip but be that as it may it is clear where the student services and leadership wanted to go with this.

When will our tertiary institutions step ahead and become forward thinking or is it a lack of multi-generational ignorance and lack of exposure to sex and sexuality matters in our education system playing itself out here via those autocratic rules about dress on a campus where ADULTS mostly are in attendance and since she had these items prior to know why wasn't action taken before now? 

HFLE anyone? more on that HERE

Hmph waiting for her to trip eh?

some comments from the Gleaner shows the ignorance and some sense at the same time:

I thought females expressing emotional attitudes to each other in Jamaica was somewhat accepted here or is this specific lesbo-profiling of the particular student to her demeanour as some other comments on social media seems to suggest. A thumb ring or pierced tongues or ear tops by women are considered as markers for some folks out there and serves as justifications to discriminate on spot in some instances.

Sigh

Anyway congrats to the team for being so forward thinking, one more institution to bring into the light of modernity I suppose. Also see: UTECH Tolerance campaign following the student abuse by guards caught on tape, the case was dismissed and the two accused were set free.

also see: NCU Has Rights Too! 

CVM TV's midday news carried the matter as well where Miss Carolyn Gomes redeemed herself of sorts after the "H" word infraction at the IACHR meeting  other matters were covered at that press conference as well as the new ED for Jamaicans for Justice made her debut appearance and it was none other than former TVJ head Kay Osbourne who denied the tolerance ad airing at the time, hope she has come to some understanding now.

Lastly

UPDATE April 9th Lasmay of the Gleaner touched the issue via a Victorian themed toon, the inquisition comes to mind:

RJR's Beyond the headline had a follow up discussion on this with attorney at law and talk show host Clyde Williams:

CVM TV carried the item finally on April 9th:

Here was the institution's attempt to out the fire

UPDATE

AUDIO: NCU Says Suspension Of Cheerleader Is Justified, Punishment Lenient CVM TV's Live @ 7 had the cheerleader herself on set to explain her case, Sha Shana James also revealed she will be leaving the institution. 

Watch the full interview on CVM TV's website from last evening's Live @ 7 show HERE More follow up news items as the furore continues:

April 16th UPDATE Gleaner article: Sex And The University

Also see Sociologist and talk show host Dr Orville Taylor's take in the Sunday Gleaner: NCU, JCF & Justice

also listen the last interview I was able to get my hands on:

Nationwide @ 5 NCU Cheerleader Sha Shauna James by Djhowiejam on Mixcloud

Peace and tolerance

H