THE RIGHT TO INCLUSIVE, QUALITY EDUCATION

 Plan International believes that education should be available and accessible to all girls and boys. Every child must be able to access and complete an inclusive, quality pre-primary, primary and secondary education in order to meet the Global Goal for education by 2030.

Plan International believes that education should be available and accessible to all girls and boys. Every child must be able to access and complete an inclusive, quality pre-primary, primary and secondary education in order to meet not only the the Global Goal for education, but all Global Goals by 2030.
 
To achieve this, the international community, local governments and the private sector must fund quality education, to lift up and support the girls and boys who are least likely to be able to access education. 

QUALITY EDUCATION FOR GIRLS 

Plan International believes that education is the key to unlocking girls’ potential, and one of the most effective interventions for achieving development goals. Every girl has an equal right to complete a quality education, in safe school environments that are free from gender bias. Education must challenge discriminatory social norms and promote gender equality. 

Plan International will continue to work to ensure that girls’ education is a priority issue globally and that gender equality is advanced in and through education.

We commit to prioritising the removal of gendered barriers to girls’ access to and completion of education, such as poor sanitation and menstrual hygiene management facilities, early pregnancy and childcare, and child marriage. 

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR ALL 

Plan International believes that mainstream education systems can and should be adapted to meet the needs of all learners, and should offer learning opportunities for every child. Children with disabilities have an equal right to access an inclusive, quality education, and a right to the support and adaptations necessary to facilitate their learning.  

Likewise, no child should be denied the right to access and complete an inclusive, quality education due to poverty - and recognises that poverty exacerbates the likelihood of exclusion for girls or children with disabilities. 

EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES

Plan International believes that no child should be denied their right to an education due to conflict and disaster. This fundamental right must be protected before, during and after an emergency, including for displaced children, refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons, to ensure educational continuity.

We believe that education in emergencies is crucial to maintaining a sense of normalcy in children’s lives, to provide safe, supportive spaces for children, and for equipping children with the skills and knowledge they need to negotiate their present and future circumstances. Girls’ education during times of crisis is particularly important and can protect them from trafficking, forced marriage and other forms of abuse and exploitation.  

EDUCATION FREE FROM VIOLENCE

Plan International asserts that every child has the right to learn in a safe and secure environment, free from the fear or threat of violence. This is an inseparable aspect of a quality education. 

We believe it is unacceptable that any child should be a victim of violence of any description either in school, or on the journey to and from school – including sexual violence or harassment, bullying and intimidation, and corporal punishment. We recognise that school-related gender-based violence is a significant factor preventing girls from accessing and completing school and are committed to eliminating such violence through our advocacy and programming work.

WHAT IS QUALITY EDUCATION COMPRISED OF?

Quality education should provide children and young people with the necessary skills and knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to lead positive and productive lives. Quality education should include not only literacy and numeracy but also wider life skills that empower them to be leaders and change-makers. Comprehensive sexuality education is a key element of quality education and provides girls, in particular, with the skills and knowledge to make decisions about their bodies and futures. 

In addition, Plan international recognises that non-formal education can ensure that out-of-school children are able to access opportunities. In some cases non-formal education programs can bridge children back into the formal education system. For young mothers or girls who have been married early, non-formal education can address their unique needs. 

In addition, we believe that early childhood care and pre-primary education are vital components of a quality education that are of critical value for the early socialisation of gender equality. A quality education must gender-sensitive at a minimum and aim to be gender transformative by transforming harmful gender stereotypes, norms and biases in schools and in society more broadly. 

Joe Biden's proposal says he wants schools to reopen this fall, but is 'safe'

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden “of course” wants schools to reopen this fall, a Biden campaign official tells The Post.

The comments come as Biden’s 2020 rival, President Trump, has begun promising to turn up the heat on US governors to reopen public schools in the fall.

“Of course he does,” the Team Biden source said when asked if the former vice president hoped schools would be able to return in the fall.

“That’s why he’s been making these proposals and pressing Trump to act. But we need to ensure we can do it safely, in line with the recommendations of public health experts, and Trump keeps failing us on that score,” they added.

Speaking from the White House on Tuesday, the commander-in-chief was adamant in his pledge that students would return to in-person classes in the fall.

“We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools, to get them open. It’s very important,” he said at a White House event on school reopenings.

“So we are going to be putting a lot of pressure on [governors] to open your schools in the fall,” he continued.

Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement on Trump’s efforts, “Almost a month ago, Joe Biden called out Donald Trump for failing to do the work to help our schools reopen safely and effectively — and laid out clear steps that would give schools the guidance, resources, and support they need to do so. Almost two months ago, Biden was advocating for badly-needed relief to our states and cities so that they could pay teachers, but Trump and Senate Republicans are still stalling on that.”

Biden’s schools reopening plan includes significantly scaled-up funding for PPE and “enhanced sanitation efforts” for child care providers and schools — particularly Title I schools.

Speaking Friday during a virtual fundraiser with the National Education Association, Biden predicted schools would likely use distance learning “for a while longer,” before echoing the teachers union’s call for more money for safety measures.

What Are Childhood Mental Disorders?

Mental health in childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones, and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are problems. Mentally healthy children have a positive quality of life and can function well at home, in school, and in their communities. This website provides information about children’s mental health. Learn more about specific child mental health conditions, treatments, prevention, and public health research on children’s mental health.

Mental disorders among children are described as serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions, which cause distress and problems getting through the day. Many children occasionally have problems like fears and worries, or disruptive behaviors. If symptoms are severe and persistent, and interfere with school, home, or play activities, the child may be diagnosed with a mental disorder.

Among the more common mental disorders that can be diagnosed in childhood are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and behavior disorders.

Learn more about childhood mental disorders, symptoms, and treatment.

Other childhood disorders and concerns that affect how children learn, behave, or handle their emotions can include learning and developmental disabilities, autism, and risk factors like substance use and self-harm.

Read more about related conditions.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder

In exchange for access to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder, we ask that you agree to the following terms. This document is a legal contract, and it affects your legal rights. Please read it before continuing.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s (AACAP) Web site includes a convenient, online research tool called the “Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder,” which is designed to help parents and other adults who are seeking psychiatric care for their children to locate psychiatrists who have reported to AACAP that they are providers of psychiatric care for children and adolescents. Choosing the psychiatrist who is best qualified to meet the needs of your child involves a number of considerations, and should not be based on the limited information that is available through the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder.

If you need immediate assistance, please dial 911.

AACAP does not give endorsements or recommendations concerning any particular psychiatrists, and no express or implied endorsement or recommendation is intended by the information that is made available through the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder.

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder, and the information it contains, is the property of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. By using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder, you agree not to download, republish, resell, or duplicate, in whole or in part, the listings or other constituent elements of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder. You also agree not to use the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder for commercial purposes, including, without limitation, for purposes of compiling mailing lists or any other lists of physicians, engaging in a solicitation to listed physicians, or establishing data files or compendiums of statistical information.

You agree to access the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder Psychiatrist Finder only through the interface provided by AACAP. In particular, and without limitation, you agree not to use any computer programs, robots, spiders, or other technologies to access the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder, or to attempt to harvest or collect any data from the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder. Notwithstanding this restriction, you are authorized to collect contact information for individual physicians as long as the collection is exclusively for personal use.

By accessing the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder, you agree that you, your employer, employees, and agents will indemnify and hold AACAP harmless from all claims, damages, or other losses resulting from, arising out of, or in connection with your use of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder, whether authorized or unauthorized, including reasonable attorney’s fees.

Disclaimer of Warranties and Liabilities

The information available through the Psychiatrist Finder is self-reported by AACAP members and is not supervised by the AACAP. AACAP makes no express or implied representations or warranties whatsoever, including warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, regarding the information you may receive through the Psychiatrist Finder service or the advice you may receive from a listed psychiatrist. In no case shall AACAP be liable to you or anyone else who relies on the Psychiatrist Finder or information received from the Psychiatrist Finder. Any damages for any reason shall be limited to the amount paid to access the Psychiatrist Finder, if any. By using the Psychiatrist Finder, you agree to do so exclusively at your own risk.

Private School verses Public School - The Debate Continues

There are many arguments about whether you should send your child to a private school or a public school. The debate will never end because everyone has their own opinions about education. Getting a good and safe education is a very important goal to accomplish in this day and age. Although most children go to a public middle and high school in their area, many still begin and end their education in a private school. Here, we will bring up some points and arguments for both sides.

Many people swear by public schools. They have attended them, received a great education and will tell others it is perfectly fine and safe for your children to attend these schools. Also, they do not cost nearly as much money as private schools do. They are actually free! Other than paying small fees and bringing supplies into class each year, the fees are very small. People who are against public schools will argue they are really dangerous and terrible tragedies happen at these schools every single year. Although there may be some merit to those statements, there are more police officers being put into schools and also numerous safety measures being instated to make sure everyone at the schools are safe- faculty, staff and students a like.

For the people who can afford to send their children to a school other than a public school, it is not guaranteed to be safer. Just because a family has a little more money than most other people does not mean they will properly raise their children and keep a close eye on what they are doing every day. Supporters of private schools will argue the curriculum is better at their elite and prestigious schools, and maybe that is true. Certainly the children will be exposed to much more culture because their parents will have the money to send them on field trips to see and experience the world. This does not make their opinion wrong. It just means they prefer one over the other.

At the end of the day, as long as children are being well-educated, we should all be supportive of one another- public or private school. Since children are our future, we need to make sure they learn as much as they can, and also understand how to survive and avoid dangers and other harmful things this crazy world has to offer. Good people should stick together to fight evil!

Ask the schoolchildren to paint the murals "Black Life Matters" for downtown Madison

   

 I'm reading "Painting murals gives students empowering role in protest movement" (Wisconsin State Journal):

 As murals were being painted at the end of the school year, SJ Hemmerich, art teacher at Randall Elementary School, created a slide presentation of them. Hemmerich then presented it to students and as a last assignment asked , “If you could design your own mural for (Black Lives Matter), what would it be?” Then Hemmerich got the idea of why not do it for real.

    Hemmerich, like other teachers, reached out to “Black and brown students” to get involved. Hemmerich got permission to work on one large mural and five panels located near each other. ... Hemmerich also sent an email out to art teachers in the Madison School District to recruit more help beyond Randall and wound up with more than 135 students and some staff members.

    “I am really passionate about social justice work,” Hemmerich said. “I thought it would be a really good way to get students involved.”...

    Monique Karlen, art teacher at La Follette High School, said she started by recruiting some of her students and then got other help from students from Middleton and East high schools...

The only mention of parents in the article is about one student who said that her parents worry about her participation in the protests, so the mural-painting is a good, safe alternative. But I don't think teachers should be recruiting children to engage in political activism — even if it's artistic — without first involving the parents and getting their consent. I don't think adults should put any sort of pressure on children to take a political position and to do political work — even if it's artwork. Teachers should not be exploiting their access to children for any political purpose. They are given access to our children for the purpose of education, and it is a solemn trust that should never be violated.