#ratifythecrc

 

 

In September, third grade teachers introduced their students to the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child.

 

 

One teacher explained the context for the lesson on her classroom blog, and shared that with families.

 

 

The students were delighted to find that the CRC’s fifty-four articles nicely compliment the rights and responsibilities list the class had made earlier in the year.

 

 

They were less delighted to learn that that the United States is one of two UN member nations that have not ratified the CRC in the twenty-five years since it was adopted

 

As Unicef explains:
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely and rapidly ratified human rights treaty in history. Only two countries, Somalia and the United States, have not ratified this celebrated agreement. Somalia is currently unable to proceed to ratification as it has no recognized government.

The stage was set for some classroom activism.

 

 

Each student was asked to choose one article from the CRC and create a poster advocating for it.

 

 

  

 

Inspired by last year’s #weneeddiversebooks campaign, the teacher had students pose with their posters, and a hashtag, for Gordon’s Instagram account.

 

A classmate who was home recovering from an operation participated by skyping on an iPad.

 

  

 

Classroom parents received a link to an online petition.

 

 

Students have written letters to every Lower School classroom.

 

 

  

 

The letters explain the CRC, and invite everyone in the school to a rally in support of the ratification, on November 20th, the twenty-fifth anniversary of UN’s vote to adopt the original document.

 

 

At the rally, which is open to all, guests will get a chance to make a poster of their own, make buttons, and sign letters and petitions.

 

 

These students have plenty to keep them busy, which is appropriate.

 

 

Whenever Gordon teachers talk about a citizen’s rights, after all, they are careful to talk about the responsibilities of a citizen as well.