VIEWS & OPINION
Stories are powerful tools for tolerance Comment by FELICIA JACKSON, Chair of the Learn2Think Foundation
Ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law. That’s a truism about the UK legal system but it does hold a deeper truth about how we address the fallout of otherisation and intolerance.
There’s a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson: “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.” One of the great challenges in wider society lies in ensuring that children grow up to understand the importance of taking a stand, of protecting everyone’s rights,
while allowing them to remain children. One of the ways we can do this, is through the simple act of storytelling. We need to ensure that stories of where things go wrong, stories about the impacts of intolerance, continue to be told.
In the US, a startling number of people say they only learned about the 1921 Tulsa race massacre from seeing ‘The Watchman’ TV series. The stories that are told to a society are often confined to what is deemed ‘safe’ by those in power. Yet without telling such stories, we risk endless repetition of racist violence and bigotry.
Nowhere is this need for transparency and storytelling clearer than with the real-life stories of Holocaust survivors. There are still Holocaust deniers who feel comfortable saying that the genocide didn’t even take place and indeed humans turn a blind eye to atrocities across the globe every day. Some atrocities are re-written to favour the victors, others are brushed under the carpet of time and others still, like the current invasion of Ukraine, are ‘justified’ by inventing stories that otherise the victims. We often hear the phrase ‘history is written by the victors’ and
even today, we can see the malignant effects of propaganda growing around the world. Whether it’s polarisation in US politics or the Russian government persuading its people that they are rescuing their cousins from a Nazi Ukraine – we have to teach our children to think for themselves, to question the available evidence, and to stand up for those around them. As we begin to lose the last of the Holocaust survivors, it is ever more important that their stories are told. Their bearing witness adds weight to a crucial body of knowledge. The Forever Project (https://www.holocaust.
org.uk/interactive) is a collaboration between the UK’s Holocaust Museum and the USC Shoah Foundation. This is an attempt to ensure that before witnesses die, their stories are remembered and shared. Using voice recognition and artificial intelligence, The Forever Project enables people not only to watch and hear a survivor sharing his or her testimony, but to ask that survivor hundreds of questions.
Through their testimony, stories of the Holocaust survivors reveal the importance of identity, decency, respect, reconciliation and empathy with those who are different to us. We are coming up the 10th anniversary of the project’s inception and this could be a good time to bring that conversation to your students.
UNESCO instituted its International Day for Tolerance in the aftermath of the human devastation in Rwanda and Kosovo. The idea was to help spread tolerance and raise awareness of any intolerance that may still be prevalent in the world – but one day is not enough. This is a concept that should be at the heart of all our teaching, and indeed of our way of life. Teaching tolerance through storytelling helps to break down the barriers of difference between peoples and helps us focus on what we share. In a world facing increasing inequality, economic and environmental challenges and conflict, this is a lesson that everyone needs to learn.
Let’s talk about consent
Comment by LUKE RAMSDEN, Senior Deputy Head of St Benedict’s School, and Chair of Trustees for The Schools Consent Project
Consent education is vital for young people in the UK. The societal messages that young people receive from social media, television and other forms of media often trivialise and normalise sexual violence and harassment. Over the last few months, there have been stories seemingly every few days in the press about institutionalised misogyny and sexism in the police, fire brigade, armed forces and many other organisations. It is essential, therefore, that we teach all of our young people about consent and its importance in our everyday lives if we are to see things change in the future.
Social media platforms are full of images and videos that depict sexual violence and harassment as acceptable and even desirable behaviour. Similarly, in films and television shows, sexual interactions are often portrayed as happening without full consent – think back to the last time you watched a James Bond Film. This is why it is important that young people are given the chance to speak about these issues openly and honestly. They need to be able to ask questions and have discussions with trusted adults, such as their parents or teachers, about what they see on social media and television. This will allow them to learn about the importance of consent in a safe and supportive environment. By teaching young people about the importance of consent, we can help them to understand that sexual violence and harassment are never
February 2023
acceptable. We can also help them to learn how to communicate with their current and future partners about consent and how to recognise and respect boundaries. It is important to note, of course, that the issues surrounding consent and sexual violence are not limited to heterosexual interactions. Consent education must also address and educate on issues of LGBTQ+ relationships and experiences.
In addition, consent education is essential because it empowers young people to make informed and healthy choices about their own sexual health and relationships. It helps them to understand the importance of communication, respect, and boundaries in any sexual interaction. With this knowledge, young people can make choices that are right for them and that are respectful of their own boundaries and those of their partners.
Another important aspect of consent education is not only teaching young people how to recognise and report sexual violence and harassment, but also how to challenge misogyny and sexism more generally. Without this education, young people may not know how to report these issues or may not understand the importance of doing so. This can lead to a culture of silence and acceptance of sexual violence and harassment.
Consent education is essential for young people in the UK. It enables them to receive the opportunity to speak about these issues openly and honestly. By educating young people about consent, we can help them to understand that sexual violence and harassment are never acceptable. We can also empower them to make informed and healthy choices about their own sexual health and relationships.
www.schoolsconsentproject.com
www.education-today.co.uk 21
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