Tom Kertes

I absolutely believe that all persons are born as sacred beings. And I know that this statement cannot be taken lightly, if it is to have any meaning. For someone, or something, to be considered as “sacred” requires the highest form of respect. Sacred persons should be treated not only with respect, but also with reverence and love. And since I believe that all persons are sacred, and that all human life is sacred, then I believe that I am obligated to treat children with absolute respect, in absolute dignity, with total and complete reverence for the unique person that each and every child is.

There is no respect in taking power from others. There is no dignity in the conditions of powerlessness. To take power from that which is sacred is a grave and serious offence, which should be stopped.

It troubles me to see the numerous ways in power is taken from people of all ages, and especially, but not exclusively, to see the ways that power is taken from children. Now that I am once again working with young children as a child care worker, I am reminded often of the many ways in which children’s powerlessness, or the perceived right of adults to take power from children, is taken for granted. I see it in many details of early education practice and in the many contradictions of early education theory. I see it in how early childhood educators are treated by others, how our work is not respected because children are not respected and therefore nor is the work of caring for children.

Children are young and therefore have less experience than adults and are less mature than adults, which leads to the fact that children do require adult guidance and support. But the fact that children are less mature, and are more dependent on their family and community for support, is not an excuse for taking away children’s power or dignity. Children should have the power to make any and all choices of which they are capable of making without harming their development and safety, or that of others. Adults should restrict intervention and control of children’s lives only insofar as such control reflects both this standard and is also reflective of the sacred nature of children as human beings.

This does not take anything away from adults in terms of our role as both caregiver and teacher. Adults care for children and other adults, and should continue to do this because caring reflects the values of respect, dignity and sacred life. And adults teach each other, sharing culture, ideas, knowledge, viewpoints, stories, experiences and other learnings with each other. Respecting the power of the child to exercise agency and make choices does not limit the capacity of the child to learn from others, nor should it restrict others from assuming the role of teacher in working with children and supporting children’s learning and development. Just as adults should work with others to create, share and express culture, so should adults and children work together for these aims.

I am excited to be back in child care, but wonder how difficult it will be to survive in a system that creates so many powerless situations at so many levels. How do we right a system that seems at its very roots to be based in oppression and in the denial of the most fundamental and essential qualities of respect and dignity for all, of all ages, at all stages, of all abilities, and at all times?

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 11:38 pm and is filed under Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.