[hr-education-na] Re: Theoretical framework, legal bases and history of HRE

Abraham 

You make a truly wonderful point. Human rights should be the starting
point of education, not an add-on, just one more part of a curriculum (for
those lucky enough to have one). This would, of course, turn most of
education upside down. We must remember that we have two issues to
confront. First, most societies in fact do not want to engage in true
education. Most of what passes for education is lessons in propaganda.
Human rights education must start by first "un-teaching" that propaganda.
A small but recent example: college students in my Introduction to
Sociology class were absolutely convinced that the United States is the
most generous country on earth. This is common mythology/propaganda. So,
we spent a couple of sessions in the computer lab looking up rates of
giving across countries and similar data. In fact, as we know, the US is
down the list quite a ways in measures like per capita philanthropy.

Not only do we need to overcome the propaganda people are fed as
education, but then also help others to see life through new eyes.
Equality vs so-called liberty, civil society vs corporate society.

Are others interested in HRE at the adult college or post-graduate level?
I see opportunity to work with people who already have advanced educations
to help them shift their perspectives to that of a human rights
orientation. With their educations, and typically, with the resources that
go with it, this could be a very powerful group of people to bring to the
movement for human rights.

Consider: All education should be founded in HRE. The very purpose of
education as it should be, is to help people learn to live with one
another. So-called "civic education" not grounded in human rights, is not
education, it is propaganda. Peace education, if somehow not linked to
human rights would be propaganda (I don't see how it could easily be
disentangled, but rather should be a branch of HRE). What is "social
studies" without human rights? Propaganda. That is why I spend so much
time deprogramming students from what they have been taught, and wish I
had longer to do it, one college semester is not enough!

It is a real pleasure to be learning from so many dedicated people in so
many parts of the world.

Peace 

Dan 

Dan Jordan
E-mail: drdanj@verizon.net



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