Parents balance back-to-school prep and politics

Party colours flapped from utility poles as parents navigated the crowded streets of downtown Kingston and other parts of the Corporate Area on Thursday.

This year, the familiar September rush comes with a twist - a general election is set for September 3, just two days after schools reopen. In Gordon Town, St Andrew, nurse Michelle Bourne was determined to finish preparations early. Dressed in her party colours, she was taking her son to buy his uniform before starting her night shift. She said she had already braced herself for the announcement of the election date.

"Me tell myself me just want a peaceful election, so him ago go school and them come home. So the day when election come dem affi stay home," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

She argued that when adults choose conflict over civility, they teach children that politics is a war to be won, not a country to be built.

"We must set an example for the children dem so at the end of the day, when dem see we living good and is a peaceful election, them can focus more on what them want and them goals."

Her eighth-grade son recently topped his class, an achievement she said makes her extra determined to "push him" in the right direction. She calls him her "Shower baby", a nickname from basic school when the Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Rural, Juliet Holness, lifted him up and gave him water.

"When yuh see boys moving forward and doing good, you affi push them, carry them the right way," she said. "He just told me, 'Mommy, I know what I want.'" Bourne opined that early preparation is the key to keeping her son focused.

"The week after is settle-down time for them to focus on the new term ahead of them. So why we ago do it after school open? We a do it inna the school time fi know say them prepare themselves going forward," she said. "If we start the eighth, it ago start problem. Member them already behind eno, we have so much holiday."

For Bourne, the election season is also a reminder of the need for unity.

"I want the people to know we must live as one because after election done, we are still one," she said. "See the PNP deh, me hug them up and encourage them. No war, no violence, no badda wid that, man."

Last year, she had already completed her son's school shopping before receiving the government's back-to-school voucher, so she used it to finish nursing school.

However, not every parent is rushing to finish shopping before election day. On Tower Street in Kingston, Kaydian Baton was taking a slower approach. She stood outside a stationery shop, scrolling on her phone, unbothered by the growing crowds.

"I haven't really thought about how it coincides and school has to be locked for election. The persons who are voting should be in schools to vote and stuff. It no make no sense to me, honestly," she said with a shrug.

Baton said that the start of the new school term could have been delayed to avoid interruptions.

"Some people go to orientation in August. September 1st would basically be the start of the school year, kids getting acquainted, but to stop to close and then open back, no make no sense. Might as well they started September 8th."

Still, she said the timing won't disrupt her plans.

"At the end of the day, me work, him father work. When money come, we just buy weh we need fi buy. It's not a case where government decisions fall in place with my back-to-school stuff; it nuh really bother me."