Human Rights education for children.

In Amnesty International's 2005 Report, Secretary General Irene Khan ranks the United States in the highest group of nations violating Human Rights and promoting terrorism. This 1977 Nobel Peace Prize winning organization has vigorously defended the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was ratified by nearly every country on earth, even those who routinely violate its statement of purpose. That in itself should provide American teachers motivation for joining the work of AI through education. (amnestyusa.org)

Teaching in a rural district rampant with poverty, substance abuse, child abuse, and neglect, I was deeply concerned about the well-being of my sixth grade students, their self-esteem being foremost. I had been an activist for social justice issues all of my adult life, and it was natural for me to carry this into my classroom, knowing that if children feel that "they matter," the self-esteeming process begins. Amnesty International was one of many altruistic and empathy-building projects in which we were involved.

For almost two decades I wove Amnesty International's substantial, engaging curriculum for grades four to six through my state-mandated program. The children loved it, and the parents who were involved supported it to the extent of asking if their kids could be active in AI after they left our school for Junior High. The administration was thrilled with the kids' letter writing to help other kids, and the AI project was the leading subject on the school's website--all that until the 2003 Iraq war and a new administrator. (But that's another story, ending with my cessation of AI activities and my own resignation.)

The very first day of school we brainstormed a list of the common needs of all human beings in order to "thrive." Our posted list beside a large world map started us off. I used Amnesty International's thoughtful thinking/ writing/art plans, books, and videos which explained the United Nations and the Declaration of Human Rights in colorful "kid talk." I supplemented these activities with materials from UNICEF and Save The Children.

My class received an Urgent Case Study for a child every month. My students read, discussed, and wrote. After talking about AI's logo, they asked if we could light a large, white candle wrapped in barbed wire while we wrote our letters. Of course! The children learned how to write letters of substance and were awed by the fact that they could express their feelings to heads of governments. They learned how to care, and how to express their outrage respectfully and appropriately when another child was being hurt by government officials. Before our letters were mailed, we made a book of copies to share entitled, "I CAN Make A Difference." We received regular updates on our cases and when we learned that one of "our" kids had been helped, we celebrated. We would have a spontaneous party to create time for feeling the joy of "doing good."

One of the precious moments that stands out in my memory was when we had written letters to officials in an African country where a human rights worker had given birth while jailed for her activities. There was concern as her diet was so poor she could no longer produce milk for her infant, and it was in danger of starvation. Finally the update arrived. When my class was settled and hushed, I whispered, "I have something so important to tell you." My own face gleamed, and you could have heard a pin drop as they stared at me, holding their breath. "Remember the mother we wrote for whose baby was starving because she couldn't nurse it any more? [silence, as I looked into every upturned face] THE MOTHER HAS BEEN RETURNED TO HER FAMILY AND THE BABY IS FINE! YOU made that happen!" There was a collective exhale and a small voice pleaded, "Please can I call my mom; I can't wait to tell her."

The last letter written during my teaching career was for a little girl in Brazil whose parents were human rights activists in danger. It was the day after our invasion in Iraq. As we sat cuddled in our "family corner," sad and quiet, my having reassured the children THEY were safe, a dark-haired little girl solemnly asked, "Mrs. S, can we write a letter for Amnesty International? That always makes us feel better." And I knew, I knew that no matter what else I had taught them that year, my students had learned what really matters.

Linda Sorter

Arcata, California