Education as a Weapon for Equality by Sarah

Education as a Weapon for Equality by Sarah - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela has always been an inspiration for me growing up. He sacrificed his personal freedom for the things he believed in, and in the end, he was able to see the difference he could make. Not everyone who stands up for their beliefs will be able to make a difference in so many lives, but we can all do our part in making justice and fairness an important part of our world.

While I am no Mandela, I have always believed in equality and justice. I have tried to live a life that represents this and have been willing to stand up when I felt it was the right thing to do. I worked in a residential school for over seventeen years with at risk children and young adults. The job posed many difficult situations, and often students were treated poorly before and during their stay. They came from abusive and drug infested homes. They had been shuffled around the system of foster care and psychiatric hospitals. They were angry and didn’t trust the adults who were supposed to protect them.

Before the students arrived at the school, they were labeled as difficult and dangerous. They were often judged and accused of doing wrong before they had a chance to make a mistake. They were treated based on their profiles and their diagnosis, and not by their present character.

Many of the staff were under-trained and immature. They lacked the judgment needed to make quick decisions during a crisis situation. Often this would lead to poor choices and resulted in abuse to the child. This came in many forms. There was physical abuse, where a staff would use their strength to get what they wanted out of the child. There was abuse of power, where the staff would take away the child’s things and privileges to get what they wanted. There was also psychological abuse, where the child was ridiculed and taunted because the staff was scared of or hated them.

Not all of the staff were neglectful and abusive. There were many, like myself, who treated everyone with respect because they are people who are just as good as anyone else. It was important to recognize that we were working with children and that they had been through many horrible things. The fact that they did not live in their own home was traumatizing enough, not to mention, their individual stories of how they got to the school. One should expect that they could be difficult and even dangerous, but not assume it. Most of them just needed a safe place to be where they could try to be a child.

It is important to learn life’s lessons of morals and respect, but it cannot replace the value of a formal education. Not only can it validate what you think you already know, but it can give you a position to advocate and be heard. It is important to have positive relationships with the children, but if you cannot help keep their environment safe and show them that there is justice in the world, they will never be able to see this on their own.

Nelson Mandela stated that "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world". From my experience, those who have a college degree are the ones who are heard. This is my inspiration to continue my education, so that I can be the advocate these children need in their life. I have witnessed the horrors of what can happen when staff are not held accountable, and with a degree, I can be the one who will. I believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to be who they want to be. They have the right to make mistakes and the right to be successful. With my degree, I might not change the world, but I hope to be able to change lives.