Signatures Gathered for Human Rights Education

Youth for Human Rights Florida collected approximately 1,000 petition signatures over the weekend as part of a three-day human rights “Signathon”, with the purpose to get the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights taught in Florida classrooms of elementary, middle and senior high schools.

Tampa Bay – February 22, 2010 - On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a solution to never experience the horrors of World War II again. At that time the United Nations asked all member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and “to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories.”

However, more than sixty years later, all 30 human rights according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is still not a required subject in schools throughout Florida, the United States or most countries of the world.

“Students spend years in school learning about wars and who conquered whom, but they don’t learn about the solution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said Dustin McGahee, President of Youth for Human Rights Florida and high school senior. “Understanding human rights is the first step to making them a part of everyday life.”

In the state of Florida human rights have created the New Generation curriculum, but the standards to learn anything at all about human rights does not happen until 9-12 grade in American Government class, and even at that time the students need only, “Identify examples of human rights policies of the United States, such as the Bill of Rights”, which mean the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is still not a requirement to learn.

Fifteen year-old Montana Logan, who collected hundreds of signatures noticed, “A lot of people I talked to didn’t even know there is a Universal Declaration of Human Rights or what their human rights are.”

Youth for Human Rights teaches youth about human rights both in and out of the classroom so they become advocates for tolerance and peace. Inside the classroom they have educational materials created in collaboration with the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International. Designed to present the subject of human rights in multimedia formats suitable for all ages, the materials include "The Story of Human Rights," a documentary video that illustrates the history of human rights through the ages; booklets; public service announcements that educate youth and adults on the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and teaching aids that include a study guide, activities manual and educator's classroom kit.

As humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard stated, "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream."

To learn more about your human rights or Youth for Human Rights visit: www.youthforhumanrights.org.