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'Self-hatred' thwarting meaningful integration of VI history into schools– Skelton-Cline

- accuses Virgin Islanders of having a crab-in-the-barrel mentality
Talk show Host Claude O. Skelton-Cline has criticized the local education system for what he said is an inability to meaningfully integrate Virgin Islands' black history into the local educational curriculum. Photo: VINO/File
He said in the VI, there is a crab-in-the-barrel mentality where some do not like to see others succeed, including criticisms about clothing or hairstyles as part of the hatred perpetuated. Photo: Internet Source
He said in the VI, there is a crab-in-the-barrel mentality where some do not like to see others succeed, including criticisms about clothing or hairstyles as part of the hatred perpetuated. Photo: Internet Source
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI– Talk show host Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline has criticised the local education system for what he said is an inability to meaningfully integrate Virgin Islands' black history into the local educational curriculum.

Skelton-Cline made the comments on his Honestly Speaking radio show aired on ZBVI 780 AM on Tuesday, February 7, 2023.

“To this day, in any meaningful way, we in our own educational system, where supposedly we have power and authority over, we have not meaningfully integrated our own Virgin Islands history in any meaningful, sustainable way, in our own educational curriculum,” he said. 

“We talk about it… and when we talk about it everybody applauds,” he further remarked but has put the spotlight on the inability of VI history to be placed in the curriculum."

Inability speaks to self-hatred - Skelton-Cline 

Skelton-Cline called on Virgin Islanders to question why after so many years little has changed regarding the subject in the educational system.

“A lot of this… speaks to our own self-hatred and I know it's a difficult subject to talk about,” he added.

He said in the VI, there is a crab-in-the-barrel mentality where some do not like to see others succeed and that part of the hatred perpetuated includes criticisms about clothing or hairstyles. 

“It's very difficult to have these kinds of conversations with our people because it's easier, it appears, to make believe that's not my personal problem, that may be someone else's problem.”

Skelton-Cline added, “What you don’t understand is if it's your neighbour's problem and if it's your neighbour's challenge, it's also your challenge, and you are not as free as you are purporting to be.”

13 Responses to “'Self-hatred' thwarting meaningful integration of VI history into schools– Skelton-Cline”

  • How (08/02/2023, 10:57) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr want decent people to have sympathy for you go sit down cr%%%k.
    • kilo (08/02/2023, 14:56) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      The reason nothing has changed here educationally is we have such a small pool of politicians and they always act like crabs in a barrel. Either that or they use power to enrich themselves so no money left to educate our kids.
  • Eroc (08/02/2023, 11:33) Like (28) Dislike (5) Reply
    There’s no such thing as black history. There’s only history.
    • :) (08/02/2023, 12:20) Like (3) Dislike (11) Reply
      if it is just history why is it that the black part of it is hidden? Since that is the case , thus the reason for BLACK HISTORY!!
      • @:) (08/02/2023, 14:53) Like (9) Dislike (4) Reply
        The black part isn’t hidden. We have our own month of history! We
        need to get past this victim mentality and
        understand that all races have suffered.
        We rely on this crap to excuse our personal shortcomings.
  • Ronni (08/02/2023, 11:35) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    Where was that view taken from?
    • Mullls (08/02/2023, 14:57) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      I was wondering where that picture was taken from too. Anyone know? I think it’s not even in BVi.
  • Really (08/02/2023, 11:46) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    Boy your problem is yours and yours alone ???? in ???? suit.
  • l (08/02/2023, 16:39) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    There are some people who should not be mentioned in.our history.
  • md (08/02/2023, 16:59) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I listened with interest and care to your explanation. Please identify and analyse the behaviour and origin of;
    Motor bike riders who ride dangerously, refuse helmets, ride on one wheel, and remove baffles to create noise,
    Those who litter,
    Do not maintain yard areas and allow old cars and or boats to rot and be an eyesore,
    Park vehicles in any fashion or place, and
    stop vehicles on public road to chat and so block passage to other vehicles. Thanks you seem good at it.
  • Open Minded (08/02/2023, 19:26) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This dude need t9 stay away from society,bad influence.
  • FACIAL EXPRESSION (08/02/2023, 20:02) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    IS SAYING )> IT JUST AIN'T RIGHT , ITS A CRYING SHAME )
  • History fan (11/02/2023, 07:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Again, more hot air from CSK. It’s indeed reasonable to include local history in the BVI curriculum, but first you have to encourage and invest in education but we don’t hear much from CSK in regards to the govt’s woeful underinvestment. What educational system is he referring to? The one with schools still not fixed half a decade after Irmaria? Why does he not make an issue of that?
    Secondly, what would CSK propose as a textbook in this matter? And, would it include modern history of the BVIs, as in H Lavitty Stout’s vision and how that was set aside in the interests of allowing a select few (many born here) to enrich themselves at the expense of those who voted them in? For sure, history is a great subject from which we are supposed to learn from the mistakes of the past, but that is not much in evidence here.


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