Dude, Where's my rights ?
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Why are we talking about student’s rights on a website about policy? Well you are the people at the centre of all the education policies made so it makes sense that you know about your rights. Knowing what is important to you, and what you’re entitled to, are important first steps to take action and change things. By thinking about what things you value and care about, you then know what kind of policies will be most useful to making sure these things happen. |
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Can’t have one without the other…
Rights and Responsibilities - the boring stuff at the front of the diary right? These are often laid out more as a discipline code for students than to help members of the school community work together fairly. But it doesn't necessarily have to be this way. Understanding how rights and responsibilities work can help you become involved in making your school a place where you, as well as everyone else, actually like to be.
Rights and responsibilities are an important part of creating communities that function smoothly for all members - and they do go together, like the two sides of a coin. All individuals have rights but individuals wanting their rights respected must respect the rights of others.
In any democratic community rights and responsibilities are shared among all members so in this section we have taken examples of how rights and responsibilities affect people in the different areas that make up a school community including: students, teachers and curriculum.
Some questions to think about…
- Do you feel like you get respect from other students and staff and do they get it from you?
- Does your school have a formal policy on rights and responsibilities?
- Who was involved when it was drawn up?
- Does the policy work?
Does everyone respect it and is it fair?
DON’T FEEL POWERLESS!
In this section of the website we will help you find out about your rights and the responsibilities (not as scary as it sounds) that go along with them. If you think there are things about your school life that are unfair then it is in your power to change them. The first step is finding out what you care about.
Find out about the history of human rights
Find out about the UN and Australian Human Rights laws
Check out a student's story
Can you change what happens in the classroom?
What are real roles in school democracies?
Take action, declare your rights! |
