From Children\u27s Rights to Human Rights: The Importance of Educating America\u27s Future

The purpose of this independent study entitled, From Children\u27s Rights to Human Rights: The Importance of Educating America\u27s Future, is to take a close look at the rights children have in the United States and if education on this topic is important for the children of today. This research thesis closely examines the children\u27s rights movement and its development. The· paper further discusses the federal, state and local laws that recognize and at the same time deny children\u27s rights. Another important aspect of this research is how international law, specifically the UN Convention of the Rights of Child, plays a role in the United States. This document, as well as other international laws, set the foundation of the importance of implementing human rights education into the formal school sector. But first, this study must determine if children are aware of children\u27s and human rights to tigure out if education is necessary. In order to gather this information, 251 questionnaires were distributed to seventh and eighth graders at Whitney Young and Edgewood Middle School. The results show that children lack knowledge of their rights, are unaware of human rights and are not educated in the formal school sector of these rights. However, children know people and places that they should tum to when they are abused or need their rights protected. In conclusion, this type of educational curriculum would allow children to become conscious citizens within their own country and globally. Based on the research, children are often voiceless in America. This senior independent study will end by stating that a human rights curriculum would benefit America\u27s children to give them a voice to speak out about the abuse they face daily