How to Change the World by Sara

How to Change the World by Sara - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

Does the average high school student know that Lesotho or Mauritania is a state? Do they know a single fact about the living conditions in Mali? Can they name a genocide other than the holocaust? The vast majority of students would answer no. In fact, American High School students seem to know very little about the human rights conditions in other countries. I only learned about some of the human rights violations by chance, otherwise I too would be innocent to the fact that there were more severe genocides than the holocaust. Joss Whedon once wrote, “half of history is hiding the truth,” and omitting education about human rights and their violations effectively hides the past and allows these problems to proliferate. Schools should amply discuss humanity’s failures alongside our successes in order to raise a more informed populace.

A course which focuses on human rights could not only inform about the abuses, but also help prevent further crimes in the future. Many high school students believe that problems such as slavery, genocide, or severe misogyny are a thing of the past. What they may not know is that we are not as far removed as they may believe. Slavery is still a common practice in Mauritania, the Darfur genocide was in 2003, and female babies are killed in alarming numbers in China. We live in a world where our biggest concern is getting the newest IPhone, while others our age are worried they may be forced into child marriage, sex trafficking, or underage labor. High school students are the future, therefore attention to human rights is crucial to create a world where people’s rights are respected.

A class on human rights could also explore controversy surrounding how to address these crimes against humanity. How much should the United States get involved? What tactics can be used to change a country’s culture when it is abusive? Students could debate the merits of using non-governmental organizations versus governmental programs in the fight to secure human rights for all. They could address ongoing controversy about whether the United States should be the world’s police, and how invasive we should be beyond our borders. Comprehensively, this course would open students’ eyes to not only the problems in the world, but also possible solutions.

If American students were more informed about human rights globally, the world would be a better place. Such education beginning in high school would allow many more people to explore an interest in a career protecting human rights. Moreover, the first step to achieving change is awareness; therefore teaching students that problems exist is a necessary step to solving ongoing crimes against humanity. This is how schools can not only ensure their students are informed and educated, but also how they can help change the world one student at a time.