[hr-education] Re: Strategies for introducing HRE into primary and secondary school at the national level

Dear friends and colleagues,

I have been reading carefully all the strategies suggested in order to
introduce HRE into the primary and secondary educational system. It is
interesting to note that many members provide recommendations, but are
addressing also the problems and obstacles that HRE is facing. It seems to
me that by pointing out the conflicts and contradictions of HRE in a
system that is very much cognitive and production oriented we are on a
good track.

I have to recognize also that we are moving from the very rationalistic
approach to the more emotional one. In my opinion this is a symptom of
maturity.

Let me only express my disagreement with what my good friend Frans Limpens
has said,

"Human rights education, I think, should start with the most important
challenge: to support the creation of a new civic human rights culture.
HRE should not focus on talking about human rights (in first grades of
primary school even the concept of "human rights" needn't be used in the
class room), but create the conditions of a real human rights culture, a
human rights praxis, starting at school. HRE is not about naming but
living human rights."

I disagree very much with this statement. Names and language create
reality. Behind the word HUMAN RIGHTS there is a history of struggles, of
suffering, of memory, of hope.

With love

Abraham


Abraham Magendzo
Chile




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