Please stand for inspection.

Some mornings, a group of four or five student counselors will ask to interrupt class for "inspection." All students in the class wills stand as the counselors walk carefully down each aisle, inspecting shoes and earrings and opening bags.

Last year, when I first saw an inspection take place, I was shocked that the counselors were allowed to rummage through fellow students’ bags and even “seize” items deemed inappropriate for school. "Wow," I thought, "They were right about Americans and Gambians having different standards of privacy.”

But this year I overheard a conversation between two of the new teachers, both from the Kombos. They were saying that at the schools in Kombo this sort of thing would never happen, and even the police need a reasonable reason to search you, but these are just fellow students, etc.

Miss S. started questioning Mr. K, a teacher who has been at the school for a couple of years, about the seized items lying on the table before her. What was so forbidden about a small hand mirror, she wanted to know. Mr. K. replied that it is not necessary for school. She said, “But at assembly you talked on the importance of looking presentable. A mirror will help students to look presentable.” She added that even she has a mirror like this one. Mr. K. asked to see said mirror. She showed him. He observed that her mirror is a part of her wallet, and as her wallet is very necessary, hers is a different situation.

Miss S. decided to expand upon her original argument that students need to look presentable for school. Sometimes they will want to apply oil. At her school in Kombo there are mirrors by the sink in the bathrooms for this purpose, so students will not need to bring a mirror, but if they did it would not be a problem.

Unable to dispute these facts, Mr. K. raised a new concern: “Some boys will do funny things with mirrors.”

“But the girls here wear trousers,” she replied, answering my silent question about what sorts of funny things boys do with mirrors. Mr. K. agreed yes, the girls wear trousers, but nevertheless, the boys will find ways of causing mischief with mirrors. “Like what?” Mr. K. could not think of an example. “But they will think of something!” he insisted.

“Anyway, it is not even the boys who will bring the mirrors to school,” Miss S. continued.

“The boys will steal the mirrors from the girls.”

“Then we should tell them thief-ology is not offered here. We are not training professional thieves.”

Miss S. put down the mirror and picked up the lighter. She said instead of seizing lighters we should inform the students about the dangers of smoking. But as long as the students are not smoking on school grounds, actually, it is not our business.

Mr. K. gave a noncommittal mumble.

Miss S. put down the lighter and picked up the earrings. And what about these earrings? These are small, and they are of the style we are encouraging the girls to wear. Mr. K. said, actually, he agrees, and he does not know why the earrings were taken -- perhaps the girl had multiple piercings in each ear? Miss S. countered that maybe multiple piercings are a part of the girl’s culture and if she does not put something into the hole it will close and is not an earring more hygienic than a twig? Mr. K. agreed she has a valid point, really, he agrees with her, but anyway, these are the administration’s rules.

All in all, Miss S. thinks they are inspecting the wrong things. I said I agree with her, that they should only seize something that is a danger, like knives.

Miss S. agreed, sort of. "Yes, but even knives you do not know, some of those razors the students will use to sharpen their pencil. And you know, you cannot write with a pencil that is not sharp. What they should be inspecting is shoes. Shoes should be brown or black. Full stop. Belts also should be plain. None of these colorful ones you will see the boys wearing.”

Also, some of the students wear uniforms made of very thin fabric so that you can see their underwear. The students should wear only underwear that is white or a solid color.

“And inspect their nails, so that we can help them with their hygiene.”