Wanderings

The Infuse Youth Project took place over a three year period in Northeast England.  It’s goal was to empower the local youth of the community.  Residents looked poorly upon the youths as being miscreants and troublemakers, and in turn, the youths behaved that way.  By teaching these young people that they could be a positive influence in their community their esteem grew and eventually a more positive view developed by them and by the community.  The video below shows a little about what went on, and also features some music by the Dawnbreaker Collective.

TeacherJay Reflections music, society, youth

While the children are yet in their infancy feed them from the breast of heavenly grace, foster them in the cradle of all excellence, rear them in the embrace of bounty. Give them the advantage of every useful kind of knowledge. Let them share in every new and rare and wondrous craft and art. Bring them up to work and strive, and accustom them to hardship. Teach them to dedicate their lives to matters of great import, and inspire them to undertake studies that will benefit mankind.

~ Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 129

The education of children is a very important concept in the Baha’i faith.  When I was first investigating the religion on my own, I recall discovering this fact and wanting to know more.  The faith strongly supports universal compulsory education for all and an elimination of the barriers that keep some from gaining an education.  In order to see progress in our society, it is imperative to provide a solid education for each new generation.  Withholding knowledge and restricting access to information in order to limit a person’s learning is perhaps the worst punishment that anyone can inflict.  This was performed against slaves in the Southern United States for generations in order to keep the displaced Africans from rebelling.  By teaching people the wonders of this world, and to contribute to the progression of civilization, they will likely undertake studies that will benefit mankind.

TeacherJay Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha children, education, progress, youth

Inasmuch as ignorance and lack of education are barriers of separation among mankind, all must receive training and instruction. Through this provision the lack of mutual understanding will be remedied and the unity of mankind furthered and advanced. Universal education is a universal law. It is, therefore, incumbent upon every father to teach and instruct his children according to his possibilities. If he is unable to educate them, the body politic, the representative of the people, must provide the means for their education.

~ Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 300

Naturally, as a teacher, I was drawn to this aspect of the Baha’i Faith.  With each passing generation, the amount of knowledge that must be acquired simply in order to be a functioning member of society is growing (a concept I have written about here).  Through my travels I have met people that are lacking the most basic education—adults who cannot read the most basic of childrens’ books, or cannot locate their own country on a globe, or have trouble ciphering without their fingers.  Sadly, I have also seen their children continue this legacy because they are denied an education.

The Baha’i Faith supports universal education for all.  In fact, it should be more than just a moral and ethical law, but a legal requirement of all government to provide this opportunity.  While many do have some sort of public education in place, there are so many gaps and differences in quality of instruction and resources, in addition to those who are denied the opportunity because of their ethnicity, gender, or poverty.

Education and knowledge, or rather withholding them, have long been tools of oppressors to dominate a people.  This occurred in the Antebellum United States with African slaves, but when the barriers were finally removed, African-Americans were finally able to obtain an education and the nation was able to move a step closer to unity.  A similar situation is occurring in China now, as they build schools for rural and migrant students. (read more here)

TeacherJay Promulgation of Universal Peace, The children, education, mankind, progress, society, unity, youth

I ran across this article about the Southwest Florida Christian Prom, where “there will be no backless, strapless dresses … dance-floor confrontations. No risque dancing or music with suggestive lyrics.”  The organizer, also one of the mother’s of an attendee, said:

“’We really want this to be a blessing, … We want to give them a place where they can dance to healthy music and be dressed in a way that isn’t offensive. It’s an atmosphere free of temptation, focused on good, clean fun.”

As a Baha’i, I have a hard time understanding the motivation behind this event, and I am concerned for the message that it sends to these students.  I question if whether or not these parents’ intentions of providing their children with this escape from the larger society could cause deeper problems.  By segregating their teens they are likely not doing as much to protect them as they are creating a divide and teaching them that those who are different are bad.  If these kids continue to believe that those who would dress differently, or have fun in a different manner than their own invented guidelines permit than all they will accomplish is to have them learn to remove themselves from society.

Unfortunately, they seem to have been taught that things that have not been deigned to be “Christian” are not appropriate for them:

“A large portion of popular culture is inappropriate for a Christian lifestyle,” said Cullen Kollack, 16, a junior at Gateway Charter School. The Christian prom is a "safe place" for teens, he said.

Baha’is are taught to live amongst people, all people, no matter what their beliefs and practices may be.  I shudder when I see religion used to separate people and not to unite them.  There is no reason why these children cannot attend the same kind of prom that every other child does and still have fun no matter how they want to dress or dance.  If they are strong enough in their convictions to organize their alternative prom, I should think they are also strong enough to be able to attend the “regular” prom and still behave in accordance with their beliefs.

The question of what exactly is meant by a “Christian lifestyle” is still out there.  I have searched the New Testament and I found no references to proms, music with “suggestive” lyrics or backless dresses.  There is a phone number to call to get more details on the dress code and I am very tempted to call!

Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

~ Psalms 149:3 (KJV)

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

~ Job 21:11 (KJV)

TeacherJay Reflections children, temptation, unity, youth

O my Lord and my Hope! Help Thou Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy mighty Covenant, to remain faithful to Thy manifest Cause, and to carry out the commandments Thou didst set down for them in Thy Book of Splendours; that they may become banners of guidance and lamps of the Company above, wellsprings of Thine infinite wisdom, and stars that lead aright, as they shine down from the supernal sky.

Verily art Thou the Invincible, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

~ Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i Prayer

I like to read this prayer whenever I feel myself losing my way and straying from the path that God has set forth for me.  More than just asking for firmness in the covenant for myself, this prayer leads me to request the strength to carry out God’s commandments in order to set an example for the children I teach and the youth I mentor.  By becoming a star that will lead this next generation aright I have taken on a responsibility that is bigger than myself.

TeacherJay Abdu'l-Baha, Prayers children, covenant, education, meditation, prayer, reflection, responsibility, youth

If you look at any playground you can see children of all sizes, shapes, colors and religions laughing and playing together.  They don’t seem to create distinctions to keep themselves apart, but often look first for what makes them similar.  Playmates may begin to notice each other’s differences, but it tends to be a source of curiosity and a reason to get to know the playmate a little better, not something to keep them apart.  Children seem to be interested in forming bonds with each other to make new friends.

When do kids lose that natural curiosity and begin to use those differences to separate them from others?  Why does this happen?  What kinds of things can teachers and parents do to encourage that curiosity?

Teachers often say they learn a lot from their students.  Maybe kids can show adults how to live together.

I was listening to the song "We Can Show You How" from One World by the Children’s Theatre Company when I thought of this post.  You can listen to this song and 4 others on their MySpace page.

While one question may be, Can they show us how?, perhaps the larger unknown is, Will we listen?

Note: This entry is cross-posted on my other blog – TeacherJay’s EduBlog.

TeacherJay Reflections children, education, music, prejudice, progress, racism, relationships, unity, youth

O Lord! Make this youth radiant, and confer Thy bounty upon this poor creature. Bestow upon him knowledge, grant him added strength at the break of every morn and guard him within the shelter of Thy protection so that he may be freed from error, may devote himself to the service of Thy Cause, may guide the wayward, lead the hapless, free the captives and awaken the heedless, that all may be blessed with Thy remembrance and praise. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful.

~ Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i Prayer

One of the core beliefs of the Baha’is is to educate children.  This is a beautiful prayer asking God for assistance with that tremendous task of raising a child to be a shining light for others and to be in the service of the Lord.

I recall one morning at a devotional prayer meeting hearing a youth of about 13 years recite this prayer.  I liked it.  It felt like he was praying for himself, but by doing so in a group setting, he was drawing us all into his personal appeal to God.  I do not know if this was his intention, but the effect was a reminder that in any community, we are all responsible for the education—moral, spiritual and academic—of every child.  The future of the world depends upon it.

You can listen to (and even download) the Dawnbreaker Collective (MySpace, Official Website) setting this prayer to music below:

TeacherJay Abdu'l-Baha, Prayers children, community, education, music, prayer, youth