Well, it's that day again in the US, and I am very glad to live in a different country. I have a host of issues with July 4th, ranging from the laughable, yet depressing, state of “freedom” in the US to the fact that we are celebrating one group of people freeing themselves from another group, neither of whom should have been in charge in the first damn place since the land belonged to entirely different people all together. Today I want to talk about something else, though.
Recently, I read this post. Those who have been following me a while know I am a big Sudbury Valley School fan. The founders of that school are some of my biggest heroes. They have been powerful advocates of children's rights for longer than I've been alive.
The only thing I don't agree with here is the implication in the title that children are the only ones being discriminated against at this point. I think kids are surely the most discriminated against, but there are plenty of others being discriminated against to varying degrees. Most of those groups have movements working for their rights. Sudbury Valley is pretty much all kids have. Danny and Hannah Greenberg, along with Mimsy Sadofsky and the other founders and staff of SVS, have been tireless advocates of children's rights for more than 50 years.
It is almost impossible to even understand how poorly children are viewed. It's like a fish trying to understand water. The ideas of them being incapable and irresponsible are so deeply ingrained in our core world views that it sort of shocks people to try to step outside. For those who haven't spent time in a Sudbury school as I have been blessed to, it will almost take your breath away. Sudbury Valley, in particular, has so much history and also a larger number of students. Watching the bustle of kids there, a judicial committee meeting, or a school meeting will bring tears to your eyes. It's so beautiful to see kids taking responsibility for themselves and their lives and being such an integral part of their community, all the while being totally free.
Free children develop in such a beautiful way. This idea that children will go Lord of the Flies is both insulting and absurd. I have seen no evidence of that. In fact I have seen children who struggled with serious discipline issues in the regular school system completely transform into responsible, caring members of their community. Every child at every Sudbury school is responsible not only for their own education but also the entire running of a school. They vote on the budget, staff hiring and firing, and all rules. They take it quite seriously. When an issue is before the school meeting that a small child does not understand, they don't vote. When they want a new slide but can't get it into the budget through school meeting, they fundraise. They are resourceful and persistent. Yes there are adults around who share their opinions, but they are far outnumbered. Children are the majority, and their rule is fair and reasonable.
Children who are given freedom to direct themselves will be independent. Children who have responsibility in their communities will be responsible. I've seen it over and over again. At the very least they should be free to do what they choose with their lives. Compulsory schooling is a terrible injustice.
When they grow up in this way, they learn to ask for guidance. They know they can ask for help learning about everything from driving to career paths to Lego building to sex. They are far less likely to be taken advantage of because they are integrated into their communities and understand that being trusted means you must know when to ask for help.
Honestly, I would be quite content to end legal age limits for driving, drinking, and voting, but at the very least kids should be allowed to determine how they spend their days. I know it's a huge leap, so bring on the questions!
I leave you with Kahlil Gibran On Children
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Much love, y’all!
As always, all pics are mine or pixabay unless otherwise noted.
