History & Legacy Working Group Members

Heather Whalen, Alberta Dyer-Tucker, Adrian Lodge, Taneesha Ottley, Dr. Theodore Francis, Randy Scott, Dr. Quito Swan, and Rhonda Woods-Smith will be appointed to the History and Legacy Committee Working Group, Minister of Education Diallo Rabain said.

Speaking in the House of Assembly today [Dec 10] the Minister provided an update on the “work that will be undertaken for the establishment of a History & Legacy Committee.”

Noting that during the recent consultation on parish primary schools, he was reminded “the need to teach, learn, know, understand and appreciate our educational history and legacy” the Minister said “while there have been significant contributions made to documenting and understanding Bermuda’s educational history, more was and is needed.”

Minister Rabain added, “Therefore, I committed to establishing the History and Legacy Committee to engage with the community and to document, commemorate and preserve Bermuda’s educational and school history and legacies.

“Of course, this effort could be easily misjudged as just another Government committee being thrown at a problem. I can assure you and the members of this Honourable House that this indeed is not that.

The Minister continued, “Subsequently, I have initiated the work of the History and Legacy Committee with the appointment of the Chairperson, Mrs. Heather Whalen.

“Mrs. Whalen will steer and oversee the work of the History and Legacy Committee. She has been working with members of the Ministry of Education team towards the formal establishment of the History and Legacy Committee.

“This preparation work includes creating a small, short-term working group to develop the terms of reference that the eventual History and Legacy Committee will use once it is fully established and constituted.

“Under the direction of the History and Legacy Committee’s Chairperson, the Working Group will:

• i. Develop the terms of reference for the History and Legacy Committee;

• ii. Identify the types of professional and community roles and skill sets necessary for the History and Legacy Committee;

• iii. Identify potential work streams and supporting organizational structures and processes for the History and Legacy Committee project, e.g. research, data collection, community engagement, communication, etc.

• iv. Develop a provisional project plan outline with milestones;

• v. Make recommendations on the likely duration of the short to medium term phases of the History and Legacy Committee project;

• vi. Make recommendations on the likely required time contribution of the History and Legacy Committee members for the project; and

• vii. Complete and present the terms of reference by March 31st, 2022.

“Following the development of the terms of reference and the completion of these other responsibilities, some or all of the members of the Working Group will transition to the History and Legacy Committee. Therefore, other members of our community will also have the opportunity to serve on the History and Legacy Committee once it is formally and fully established in early 2022.

“The History and Legacy Committee will use the terms of reference as a framework to guide and carry out longer-term work with the ultimate responsibility of documenting Bermuda’s educational history and making recommendations on the best ways to preserve, honour and commemorate the history and legacy of education in Bermuda,” Minister Rabain said.

The Minister’s full statement follows below:

Mr Speaker,

This morning I rise to share with my Honourable colleagues and the community at large the work that will be undertaken for the establishment of a History & Legacy Committee.

Mr Speaker,

Many of us are walking on paths that have been tread for us by those that came before us – our parents, grandparents, educators, political and community leaders, some of whom were groundbreakers, and most of whom were average citizens. Their efforts to develop the Bermuda that we live in today have created opportunities for us to continue to improve Bermuda so that we can make our nation better and so that we can all thrive within our community.

As we move forward with Education Reform, we know that change in education is not only desired but is a prerequisite to designing the kind of public education system that inspires confidence and meets the educational, social and other related needs of each and every learner.

Mr Speaker,

When important things are to be gained, like better education for each and every child, it is critical that we keep in mind what we do not want to lose.

These changes, which are the Government’s response to community calls for change, have also brought long-standing issues and concerns about Bermuda’s educational history and legacy to the forefront. From lived experiences, discussions with our family members, concerns of our constituents, and from prior debates in this House, we know that our country’s history is a difficult and painful one, especially for those of our parents’ and grandparents’ generations.

It is rich with examples of our great history of building and trades, seafaring and shipbuilding, and developing and shaping young minds and leaders. However, it is also a painful and difficult history of racial segregation, separate and unequal schools, and class stratification.

Along with my predecessors, I recognize that decisions have been made in decades past that continue to have profound implications on current and former students of the Bermuda Public School System and Bermudian society. Many Members know about the vital history of schools such as the Bermuda Technical Institute, Howard Academy, Warwick Secondary School, Prospect School for Girls, the Robert Crawford School and others that have closed or been repurposed in decades past.

Mr Speaker,

During the recent consultation on parish primary schools, I was reminded and reminded and reminded again about these critical issues – of the need to teach, learn, know, understand and appreciate our educational history and legacy.

In addition to listening and reading the numerous submissions from community members, I also received many messages of support and met directly with community members passionate about protecting and preserving the history and legacy of schools.

Through this process, it became evident that despite very good intentions, and the imperative to bring about change for young people, a response was needed that met the moment of change that we are undertaking.

Mr Speaker,

Prior to making a single decision regarding parish primary schools, I resolved that these concerns had to be addressed.

As I listened and considered the concerns, mostly of elders, with deep connections to particular schools and school communities, it was evident that, while there have been significant contributions made to documenting and understanding Bermuda’s educational history, more was and is needed. Therefore, I committed to establishing the History and Legacy Committee to engage with the community and to document, commemorate and preserve Bermuda’s educational and school history and legacies.

Mr Speaker,

Of course, this effort could be easily misjudged as just another Government committee being thrown at a problem. I can assure you and the members of this Honourable House that this indeed is not that.

This past summer, I met directly with passionate and committed community members, including the adult children of renowned educators, current and former educators, and parents of current students, many of whom were also public school alumni.

I also met with the technical officers of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports; historians and researchers; and community and cultural leaders to share feedback from the parish primary consultation, to engage in deep discussions about the history and legacy of education and schools, and to obtain input on the development of the History and Legacy Committee.

This assistance helped to shape the vision and design of the History and Legacy Committee.

Mr Speaker,

Subsequently, I have initiated the work of the History and Legacy Committee with the appointment of the Chairperson, Mrs. Heather Whalen.

Mrs. Whalen will steer and oversee the work of the History and Legacy Committee. She has been working with members of the Ministry of Education team towards the formal establishment of the History and Legacy Committee. This preparation work includes creating a small, short-term working group ["Working Group"] to develop the terms of reference that the eventual History and Legacy Committee will use once it is fully established and constituted.

Mr Speaker,

The Working Group’s membership consists of:

Mrs. Heather Whalen who is the retired Director of Community and Cultural Affairs. During her professional career she spearheaded a number of international events, and served as the Head of the Delegation of Carifesta and was a member of the team organizing the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. She is the co-author of Bermuda’s first National Cultural Heritage Policy,

Well known to Members of the Legislature, Mrs. Whalen has co-hosted several ceremonies for the Convening of the Legislature and has also served as a Member of the Committee to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Bermuda’s House of Assembly. In addition to previously serving on several Government committees, she is a member of the Board of Education and the Interim Director of Age Concern.

Mrs. Whalen began her career in education, teaching history and civics at The Berkeley Institute, where she also served as Head of the Social Studies Department.

Mrs. Alberta Dyer-Tucker is retired from public service, having served in numerous roles, including Assistant Cabinet Secretary [Policy] and Senior Education Officer for Early Education, among many other roles. She was also one of Bermuda’s inaugural policy analysts and later co-led the Cabinet Office’s Intern programme, which helped launch the careers of many young Bermudians.

Immediately before her retirement, Mrs. Dyer-Tucker helped organize a Commission of Inquiry, also serving as Commission Clerk. She later served as Clerk to the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee Inquiring into the Events of December 2nd, 2016. She also briefly worked with the Commission of Inquiry into Historic Land Loss in Bermuda. She is also a former educator, having begun her career as a classroom teacher at Victor Scott Primary School.

Mr Adrian Lodge has worked in the IT industry for over 20 years. He has recently completed a Privacy Officer and Cyber-Security course with a passion for always learning and improving.

Adrian is the founder of local software development company Supatone Ltd. He has led the BEDCs StartUp Weekend for entrepreneurs, has volunteered at the annual Hackathon, and has taught WordPress. He also designs mobile apps and games for Bermuda Island Games, a local business he started to promote Bermudian culture digitally. Adrian holds a Master’s degree in Information Technology Management from the University of Liverpool.

Ms. Taneesha Ottley is a Ministry of Education Policy Analyst and will provide research and secretariat support to the Working Group. Having reviewed and analyzed all of the submissions from the parish primary school consultation process, she has developed deep and broad insight into the issues raised by community members regarding the history and legacy of schools and education.

She is also a public school alumna, having graduated from CedarBridge Academy. She has obtained an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Bermuda College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Policy from the University of Lincoln, UK. Ms. Ottley is currently studying towards a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of York, UK.

Dr. Theodore Francis is an Assistant Professor of History at Huston-Tillotson University, a historically Black college and university [HBCU] in Austin, Texas. He teaches African American, Caribbean, and United States history courses. His research focuses on race, resistance and Black travel in the African Diaspora, particularly the Caribbean and Americas.

In 2020, Dr. Francis served as an expert witness for the Government of Bermuda’s Commission of Inquiry into Historic Land Losses. He completed an extensive research report on the Tucker’s Town portion of these land losses.

Dr. Francis is the co-author of Prudent Rebels: Bermudians & the First Age of Revolution with Dr. Clarence Maxwell and Alexandra Mairs- Kessler. His current book manuscript explores African American tourism to Bermuda during the Island’s desegregation movement.

Mr Randy Scott is a retired Parliamentary Registrar, having served in this leadership role for many years after working as the Assistant Parliamentary Registrar. After teaching for a period at The Robert Crawford School, Mr Scott also worked in the Department of Statistics for more than 20 years.

He is an alumni of West End Primary School and attended Sandy’s Secondary School, having completed his high school education in the United States at Eron Preparatory school in New York City. He attended Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in History Education.

Dr. Quito Swan is a Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. The author of Black Power in and the forthcoming Pasifika Black: Oceania, Anti-colonialism, and the African World, his scholarship is focused on twentieth-century Black internationalism.

In 2020, Dr. Swan served as an expert witness for the Government of Bermuda’s Commission of Inquiry into Historic Land Losses. He submitted a report on the St. David’s/U.S. base lands section of these land grabs.

He is the recipient of several awards, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute, the Wilson International Center for Scholars, Penn State’s Humanities Institute and the Australia’s University of Queensland. He is also the founder of DrinkWell, a professorial consulting agency.

Mrs. Rhonda Woods-Smith is the Senior Manager of the Tourism Regulation and Policy Unit. She previously served as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism and as the Acting Director of Telecommunications.

Ms. Woods-Smith has an extensive background in education. She began her career as a mathematics teacher at The Berkeley Institute, graduated to the position of Year Three Supervisor and culminated her career at The Berkeley in 2003 as Head of the Mathematics Department.

Mrs. Woods-Smith served as the Bermuda Education Strategic Team [BEST] project manager and was a member of the Hopkins Review Team led by Professor David Hopkins. She later served as the Chief Operations Officer of the Interim Executive Board of Education and the Board of Education, respectively and is currently a member of the Board of Governors of The Berkeley Institute.

Mr Speaker,

The working group’s membership consists of a breadth of academic, technical and practical knowledge and experience that is needed to plan and prepare for the work of the History and Legacy Committee.

Under the direction of the History and Legacy Committee’s Chairperson, the Working Group will:

• i. Develop the terms of reference for the History and Legacy Committee;

• ii. Identify the types of professional and community roles and skill sets necessary for the History and Legacy Committee;

• iii. Identify potential work streams and supporting organizational structures and processes for the History and Legacy Committee project, e.g. research, data collection, community engagement, communication, etc.

• iv. Develop a provisional project plan outline with milestones;

• v. Make recommendations on the likely duration of the short to medium term phases of the History and Legacy Committee project;

• vi. Make recommendations on the likely required time contribution of the History and Legacy Committee members for the project; and

• vii. Complete and present the terms of reference by March 31st, 2022.

This two-part process of creating a working group to support the introduction of a committee has worked well before. This approach was taken regarding the School Reorganization [SCORE] Committee and allowed technical and community expertise from outside the Ministry to be utilized to develop the groundwork for the larger body of work to be undertaken.

Mr Speaker,

Following the development of the terms of reference and the completion of these other responsibilities, some or all of the members of the Working Group will transition to the History and Legacy Committee. Therefore, other members of our community will also have the opportunity to serve on the History and Legacy Committee once it is formally and fully established in early 2022.

The History and Legacy Committee will use the terms of reference as a framework to guide and carry out longer-term work with the ultimate responsibility of documenting Bermuda’s educational history and making recommendations on the best ways to preserve, honour and commemorate the history and legacy of education in Bermuda.

I extend thanks to those persons who have made contributions to the development of the History and Legacy Committee. The interest, passion and dedication of those committed to the documentation and celebration of our educational history will help with the necessary changes needed to the public education system and make our understanding of our past educational achievements much richer in the process.

Thank You Mr Speaker

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