Jamaica's Disqualification From National Spelling Bee Causes Stir

Jet, Feb 1, 1999

The recent disqualification of young spellers from Jamaica, home of the reigning champ, has the island nation in an uproar.

Jamaica was disqualified from May's competition because of a new rule that stipulates qualifying regional or local contests be held no earlier than Feb. 1.

This year, as has been true for nearly four decades, Jamaica held its contest the August before the event.

Scripps Howard, which sponsors the national contest, disqualified Jamaica's sponsor, Phillips & Phillips Stationery Supplies Ltd., from sending spellers to this year's final for that reason.

It started last May when 249 spellers traveled to the 71st annual spelldown in Washington. The contest is open to contestants from any country, but only a handful come from outside the United States.

Worried that some youngsters might be getting extra time to study, spelling bee officials imposed a new rule: To be eligible for this May's competition, spellers had to win a qualifying regional or local contest held no earlier than Feb. 1.

The action has hit hard in Jamaica, where Jody-Anne Maxwell, last year's national champ, is "a folk hero," says O'Neil Hamilton, a spokesman for Jamaica's embassy in Washington.

"She's like Michael Jordan," he added.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson has stepped to the plate in defense of Jamaica's participation. Jackson has written letters to bee officials, saying their action has effectively excluded the young spellers of African descent.

"This certainly appears to be very exclusionary," says spokeswoman Valerie Johnson.

But Paige Kimble, director of the spelling bee, insists the action isn't a direct attack on Jamaica.

"Some people have taken this action as anti-Jamaica. We have not banned the country," said Kimble.

"It's a specific move against a sponsor, not a country."