CARIMAC Times 2016: The JREAM Edition Journalists Reviving Awareness of what Matters | Page 137

Facey alluded to the strong negativity and
intolerance towards non-heterosexual
characteristics that can be found in the Jamaican
society.
Learning outcomes
His situation also highlighted another
consequence of having an uncommon name;
stymied performances in education.
Researchers Thomas Busse and Louisa Seraydurim,
in an early psychological study, found that,
“Students with more socially desirable names
have higher intelligence tests scores, as well
as higher level of school achievements.”
Similarly, another American study conducted
by Crisp, Apostal and Luessenheide in 1983,
concluded that: “Harvard College students with
singular names were more likely to be dropped
for unsatisfactory academic performance.”
Despite this study being done almost three
decades ago, Facey and Myles are living
testaments to its findings.
“I was getting a lot of low grades in every subject,
because I never feel comfortable in my class,
so I didn’t want to ask the teacher to go over
something I didn’t understand,” Facey explained.
Facey said he missed out on a lot of opportunities
because he was too afraid to speak up and
actively participate in class.
“Because I was afraid of being mocked, I didn’t
want to go to school. But whenever I [did] go,
I would sit at the back and sleep, or I wouldn’t
go any at all,” Facey explained.

His goal of learning was unrealised.
“Me never learn nothing a school y’know, and
life get hard so now me haffi [have to] learn a
trade so mi can help myself, so me fix bicycle
and electronic device[s] like phone and radio,”
he continued.
Coming from a low-income background, a
solid education was one tool Shetania Myles
thought could help to her change her situation.
But the path to success seemed clouded by
her hatred of the school environment she was
forced to embrace.
“I was tired of the children. They would mock me,
inside and outside of class, and their constant
laughing would get me confused sometimes,
so I didn’t really learn much.”
She mentioned days when she wanted to hide
away from school, but was uncertain of where
to go, because she was fearful her mother would
find out and punish her.
“Have you ever been sick and tired of something?
That’s how I was. There are days I would go
to school and play by myself on the playing
field, or I would just sleep in class because I
wasn’t comfortable with the students. I was
shy, so I never participated or asked questions,”
Myles said.
Name-game continues
Today, Myles has to attend evening school to
complete her education, so she can accomplish
her dream of becoming a nurse.
Deadranne Baston, a first-year student at the

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