"Boy, if you don't behave ima send you up to get some licks"
This is a typical line used in the classroom of Grenadian schools. Its used more as a scare tactic then as a truthful line. Teachers use stern, condescending language to get the attention of children, but its taken as normal language by the students. Often times i cringe as i hear a teacher yell at students and have even found myself jump in fear. American students would wilt away in their chairs and start crying at the tone of Grenadian teachers voices, but its the culture here and something I'm learning to accept.
I've heard stories from the other volunteers of teachers and principals giving students licks, but had never seen it myself until today. Licks is the term used for swats or spankings in the school systems. I come from a school district in the States that still uses this form of punishment (though its not effective), but seeing it happen to a 1st grader today sent chills down my spine.
Shackim came to school this morning filled with energy as he always comes. This young boy is the class clown and filled with so much energy i can feel him running circles around me. He is such a bright little boy when he can sit still long enough. The teacher called his name this morning for lunch money and i saw the look of shame in his eyes.
"Shackim, where is your lunch money?"
"Miss i don't know"
"Yes you do son, show me your bus money and your lunch money"
Shackim knew his lunch money was long gone but he wasn't going to tell Ms. Mitchell that, so he kept his head down not saying a word. Until that is a fellow classmate jumped up and down saying "i know i know, Shackim spent it before he got to school on beef stew". Beef stew? I haven't had beef stew since i have been here, so i was a bit lost as to where he found beef stew, but apparently he found beef stew at the corner shop before school and spent his bus and lunch money. I found this particularly funny, but the teacher sure did not, and sent him right up the hallway to the principals office to get his "licks".
As we proceeded with class i knew i was in for a surprise today and sure enough i got it, in the form of shock. I could hear the principal yelling at Shackim and then WHACK WHACK WHACK, then some more yelling. Shackim belted out in tears but no student seemed to notice the noise,as this was nothing new to them. I watched the students proceed with their work like nothing had ever happened, and as Shackim came back in the class with his eyes full of tears no one looked at him, for they knew he got what he deserved.
It was an eye opening experience to see the students and teachers not second guessing the act of licks. This culture is centered around aggression which has caused many of the islands cultural problems. But how do you change something so deeply embedded into a society? You cant, or at least not in the two years i am here. So i must learn to accept something different and make the small impact that i can.
