The United Nations Says Education Is a "Human Right"
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Elsewhere I have addressed whether education is a “right.” But here I want to address the actual text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document drafted by the United Nations in 1948. Article 26 of the document says this about education:
- Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
- Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
- Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Let’s examine this briefly. The document begins by saying everyone has the “right” to education. What they mean by this is that everyone has the right to make someone else pay for their education. This is clear from the fact that the following statement in point 1 says education “shall be free.” Of course, nothing in life is “free.” Government education is funded by coercive taxation. The government is making you and everyone else pay for this “free” service, whether you want it or not.
The Declaration then follows this up with the nonsensical statement that elementary education “shall be compulsory.” So which is it? It education a “right”? Or an obligation? Last time I checked, I have the right to exercise free speech in the United States. But if you force me to say something, we would be crazy to call that a “right.”
The Globalist Agenda
This shows the true nature of public education. It is about government influence. And in the case of the U.N., public education is about pushing its leftist globalist agenda. Point 2 speaks of public education’s goals of developing "human personality" and strengthening "respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms."
But which "rights" and "freedoms" does the Declaration have in mind? If private property and free speech, then maybe we can get on board. But considering that the document speaks of government-run schools as a "right," the U.N. seems to be more interested in socialistic programs than private property. Further, many will find it concerning that the U.N. is pushing to add abortion and same-sex marriage to its list of "human rights."
Point 2 also speaks of public education promoting “understanding, tolerance and friendship” among all peoples. That sounds all warm and fuzzy. But what is the basis for this unity? It’s not Christianity or truth. No, it’s just some flowery language about everyone getting along. This section is then further poisoned by the statement that public education’s goal is to “further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.” They can speak of “peace,” but we all know the U.N. also pushes its own agenda. We do not need to “further” their “activities.”
The Rights of Parents
The only redeeming thing about this Declaration is that point 3 says parents have the “prior right” to choose the “kind of education” that shall be given to their child. That is great. We should all be on board with that. That is called freedom of education.
However, there is a major problem with this affirmation—how are parents supposed to "choose the kind of education" for their children when they are being taxed heavily to pay for these "free" public schools? The Declaration undermines parental rights to education (point 3) with its mandate for "free" and "compulsory" government schools (point 1). The is a complete contradiction.
Thus, we must conclude that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is just another globalist document pushing socialist education on nations in order to accomplish their secular and leftist agenda. An education that is “free” and “compulsory” is not a “right.” The concept is sheer nonsense.
