PPB: Images of Egypt's Revolution: Lessons for educating, engaging & empowering youth and children in the U.S. and world

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Images of Egypt's Revolution: Lessons for educating, engaging & empowering youth and children in the U.S. and world

I have been spellbound by Egypt these past days. How the youth of the Middle East's most populous nation, educated, tech-savvy, worldly and...frustrated....no, enraged over the authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak took to the virtual streets of Facebook and Twitter. Then, on January 25th, started marching through the ancient streets of Cairo and gathered in Tahrir Square. Emboldened their countrymen---and countrywomen---to participate in what may be one of modern history's most momentous acts of civil disobedience. Grew bigger and stronger with each day. Old. Middle-aged. Young. Workers. Professionals. Fathers. Mothers. Babies on shoulders. Children hand in hand. Unified voice and unified message. Determined to be non-violent but determined to prevail. Did not scatter or succumb to despair when Mubarak's henchmen struck back one brief and violent day. And despite early defiance, in an instant it seemed, President Mubarak stepped down and fled from view. All in eighteen days. Eighteen days. Then, after a night and day of jubilation, what seemed both industrious and poignant, the protesters immediately worked together to wipe, sweep, scrub their treasured city---their nation---clean. Practical. Symbolic. Hopeful. Owning their country again. Owning their lives again.

It all revealed a people, a culture, a history that I had not fully known or understood. Inspired and humbled at the same time. And sparked in me three things----------

One, the United States must do a better job of teaching our children and youth about the world. Being fluent in a second, or even third language. Learning world history, cultures, literature and geography. Learning the contributions of other nations to science, industry and the arts. Understanding the world economy and the complexities of foreign policy and international relations. (To get on my soapbox again...that does not mean more standardized testing, experimenting with teacher contracts or fracturing our democratic public schools into a privatized "market." These three elements dominate current--and divisive---education reform in the U.S. They will not lead to more authentic teaching or deeper knowledge of our complex world.) This event tells me, too, that our media should do a better job of explaining the world in greater detail to their audiences and we all should do a better job of wanting to know and understand it.

Two, the world's youth want to know about each other, be connected, move beyond the political boundaries of nations. They want a bright future for themselves and everyone, with more freedom for all, and better opportunities, better health, better environment, better society, better discourse, better government. Policymakers should not be afraid of this or seek to control or "manage" it, but instead be inspired by it......informed by it.

Three, the world's youth should have a say---and a role to play---in shaping public policies, and that their thoughts, ideas, values and dreams should be respected by political leaders. Egypt's youth showed us that they are not naive or impractical in what they envision for their nation, or probably the world. They realize how complicated and difficult the path ahead will be. So, to those who say our youth aren't interested in big ideas or the hard work needed to establish or preserve democracy, I say look at Egypt. They have not only set an example for their fellow citizens, but also for the youth in all nations.

Political leaders and public institutions, take heed. Fully educate our children, and in politics, substantively engage and empower our youth. But they know when they're being pandered to or when mixed messages are sent. And sense when there's corruption, misuse of power or simple conflict of interest, at a time when others will turn a blind eye to it. Once detected, they can then quickly air it for the world to see, and if necessary, "go back to the square." So reach out to them with honesty, openness and respect. Be squeaky clean and fiercely protect democratic principles. Underestimate them at your peril. They'll be leading the way into the future sooner than we may think. Perhaps they've already begun.