Phyllis Murray is a chapter leader from the Bronx.
Preface
WHEREAS recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
WHEREAS disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
WHEREAS it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law. United Nation Dec. 1948
Intolerance. What is it? The dictionary has termed intolerance as a negative portrayal of someone or something due to one’s own prejudice. Intolerance has also been cited as a precursor to violence and in its severest form it leads to genocide. The Holocaust has been mentioned as the most infamous example of intolerance in the Western culture. Intolerance of different cultures other than the Dutch or British made colonialism and slavery possible in the New World. And we can still see how discrimination continues as the remnants of an old slavery system in America, dies hard.
Knowing this, why does intolerance continue to flourish. Why has it grown in leaps and bounds as hate crimes proliferate urban, suburban, and rural communities? Surely, we have seen how discrimination, harassment and bullying leads to violence on school campuses throughout the nation. Columbine is a classic example of that. We have also seen how freedom of speech has been twisted to provide a license for people to wage a war of hate throughout the media and Internet, as ethnic jokes, black-face parodies, and ill humor based on another’s race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation become salable. And even though these vignettes are morally wrong, they provide hours of comic relief to a very wide audience, while graffiti strewn on large surfaces become billboards of hate. Desecration of religious symbols in public places (at the pentacle of a holy day) is just another indication that all is not well in morbidly tense communities.
As we look at the growth of intolerance around us, which is mimicked by some children in hate-speech, it becomes obvious that something is missing in our schools. Our schools are entrusted with the job of educating our youth in academic subjects as well as infusing students with moral qualities in order to prepare them for full participation in our democratic society. If this is not being done, then doing nothing is doing something harmful which promotes intolerance.
“Morality cannot be legislated, said Dr. Martin Luther King, ” but behavior can be regulated. It may be true that the law cannot change the heart, but it can restrain the heartless. It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can restrain him from lynching me —and I think that is important also. And so, while education may not be able to change the hearts of men, it can change the habits of men. And when the habits are changed, pretty soon the attitudes will change. The hearts will be changed, and men will be able to come together as brothers, recognizing the naturalness and the rightness of their togetherness.” Excerpt from Martin Luther King speech to the United Federation of Teachers 1964
With this truth in mind, we should revisit an April 20, 1994, mandate from The New York State Legislature.
“In order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and obligation and to foster in the children of the state moral and intellectual qualities which are essential in preparing to meet the obligations of citizenship in peace or in war, the regents of the University of the State of New York shall prescribe a course of instruction in patriotism, citizenship and human rights issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and the Holocaust, to be maintained and followed in all the schools of the state.”
Certainly, implementing this mandate in schools, would be a big step today toward ending the growth of intolerance in the future.
4 Comments:
1 Chaz
· Mar 17, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Phyllis;
Words are not deeds. The basic problem is the culture of disrespect and the dysfunctional family, in particular the absent father. To improve student achievement, especially boys, are not courses in intolerance but bringing the father back into the family unit. A stern father can show these boys the consequences for their actions.
2 phyllis c. murray
· Mar 18, 2006 at 10:34 am
Chaz:
It has been said that “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” Although this phrase referred in the past to the mother’s role in shaping the mind of a child during the early impressionable years,today we find teachers are sharing in that process: shaping the mind of a child during the early impressionable years. And many of our teachers have accepted that fact. Quite often ,it is what our teachers invest in a child,daily that eventually leads the child toward a successful future. And our NYC schools ROCK!
We have many teachers who serve as positive and dynamic forces within our Hunts Point school community. Their ability to program students for mastery in all facets of the curricula is well known. The measurable progress of their students is well documented and worthy of much praise and emulation. Their tireless work extends beyond the perimeters of the classroom. Their dedication to a students’ growth and development is incalculable.
Case in point:
Mr. McDowell’s weekly writing class projects included: writing reports from inside a Japanese Internment Camp, crafting and forwarding one thousand origami cranes to Hiroshima, Japan as a symbol of peace. His young student authors and writers have been published in numerous periodicals which include: The African Burial Ground Project, The New York Teachers’ Council of English, The Environmental Projection Agency and The Anthology of Poetry Contest. His students are now gifted with a “voice.”
And as far as motivating students… we might look at Johanna Heureaux. Johanna Heureaux, one of McDowell’s former students, has just returned from a six-week study-tour of South Africa, which McDowell helped to arrange. Presently, Johanna Heureaux attends a private high school. She ranks third in her class and participates in all of the extra curricula activities. Mr. McDowell is active in many of the Parent Teacher initiatives.
Furthermore, as a recently appointed member of the Team Leadership Committeeand Staff Developer, Mc Dowell’s active involvement with all school personnel and parents has increased.
Mary McLeod Bethune, a renowned educator and advisor to President Roosevelt once said, “Invest in a human soul, it may be a diamond in the rough.” Malcolm McDowell and so many of our gifted and talented teachers throughout NYC meet this challenge each day in the classroom.
Teachers have become a part of the entire village which raises a child. Yes, we know that many of our students, are from single parent homes. However, that does not mean that these children will be devoid of the experience and benefits a good education provides. Therefore, the New York State mandates, which seek to end the growth of intolerance, through education, are within reason.
“Mihi cura futuri.” My care is for the future. (Hunter College)
Phyllis C. Murray
3 Chaz
· Mar 18, 2006 at 10:09 pm
Phyllis:
That’s all well and good but it will not solve the problem of the absent father. Until communities put a stop to accepting men fathering babies without being in their lives, no well-meaning program will improve graduation rates in boys.
4 R. Skibins
· Mar 19, 2006 at 11:08 pm
Don’t just blame the men. It takes two to tango. In NYC, the rate of pre-teens who have had sex is twice the national average. With teen pregnancy comes HIV and STD’s. Children born to these teens, who have less-than developed bodies, have a marked increase in birth defects and learning disabilities. As long as certain communities see nothing wrong with this, nothing will improve.