“Spirit Day” has become an annual activity in several schools locally. The Freedom Come Rain ascertained that it is observed at some of Jamaica’s top institutions, including Immaculate Conception High, Campion College, Merl Grove High, St. Hilda’s High, St. Catherine High, among others. The day is marketed as a time to engender school pride. Based on promotional pamphlets and social media posts seen by this newspaper, the event is mostly held in November, although a few schools, like the all-girls Immaculate Conception, for example, hosted their spirit week in January this year. The week was celebrated under the theme, “Embracing Blue Pride, Our True Pride.” It promised a long list of activities, including a “Mac Girl Magic Expo.”
The LGBTQ community has also embraced two spirits. According to Smithsonian Magazine, this connotation is used to describe someone who has masculine and feminine energies coming togetherin one body. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is known for using the term, which is used by some North Americans to describe their sexual identity. The global leader often uses the acronym 2SLGBTQQIA+.
It is not known whether “Spirit Day” is officially embraced by the Education Ministry; however, a member of staff at the school where a student was injured on their Spirit Day (see related story on this page) said it’s an annual event. The staff member reiterated that it is aimed at building “school spirit.”
“It’s just school pride and spirit; that’s all it is.”
The staff member said the girls were treated to a meal on the school’s lawn, a concert was planned, and students seemed to have had a good time.
“That’s pretty much it. I am wondering why anybody would be concerned after getting a run-down of the day’s activity,” the staff member said, before adding, “Realistically, it’s no different from Crocs day, jeans day, and anything else along that line.”