Summer vacation has started for the students and teachers of The School for Human Rights in Brooklyn (New York). We can look back at a successful first year with teaching practices that infuse human rights and extra-curricular activities like film festivals, workshops with human rights defenders, and celebrations of international days such as Holocaust Memorial Day (Yom Ha-Shoah). The core values of ‘dignity, respect and responsibility’ really shone through.
A combined middle and high school, The School for Human Rights offers an integrated academic and social skills-based curriculum to challenge its students to think critically and become compassionate, socially engaged young adults committed to the practice of equity, dignity and social consciousness. Human rights values are evident not only in classroom teaching, but in the school’s commitment to meeting the educational needs of every student, and practices such as ‘discipline with dignity.’
HREA is The School for Human Rights’ lead partner and supports teachers and other staff with resources and professional development. Jessamyn Waldman, the HREA staff member based at the school: “The teachers have done a tremendous job: not only did they start a whole new school but one that is based on human rights values!” In September the school will welcome 150 6th and 9th graders, which will bring the total of students to almost 300.
The school is funded in part by a grant from New Visions for Public Schools, an education reform foundation dedicated to improving the quality of education in New York City’s public schools. In the next few months teachers and HREA staff will be busy preparing for the new school year, which includes professional development of new teachers and fundraising.