All maps are not created equal. Cartographers, or mapmakers, face a number of challenges when trying to fit a round Earth onto a flat image. Thus, all maps are distorted in one way or another. And how we see the world can vary depending on which map we're looking at.
Some maps are intentionally deceptive -- meant to emphasize a fact or idea through distortions. For example, this map we showed in class this week illustrates the differences in population sizes among various countries by relating them to country size.
Other maps, however, are less blatantly distorted. The Mercator Projection, which is widely used in schools, accurately represents shapes of landforms, but distorts their sizes. This is why small islands and borders are so detailed. The Peters Projection, on the other hand, distorts shape, but preserves relative sizes of landforms. We are less familiar with this map, which makes Africa and South America appear stretched.
After acknowledging that the Peters Projection indirectly emphasizes the developing world, students in classes this week agreed that residents of places in Africa or South America would probably prefer the map over the Mercator Projection. While neither projection is more accurate than the other, certainly the Peters Projection implores that we take a second look at our world. While the sizes of countries does not relate to their value, seeing an accurate depiction of country sizes brings places we often ignore to the forefront.
Would you favor the Peters Projection if you lived in Africa? Why or why not?
No matter where a child is born, all children have needs --separate from those of adults -- that must be met in order for them to grow into healthy and productive adults. When discussing a child's needs in class this week, we took care to distinguish needs from wants. For example some things that may make you happy if you had them might include a new video game, expensive shoes, and trendy clothes. However, we would (hopefully) all agree that you can live without these things. Necessities are those things you cannot live without -- shelter, food, support from family, education, etc.
Unfortunately, whether or not a child's needs are met has a lot to do with where he or she is born. Children that are born in developing countries and in rural areas are much more likely to be poor. What are the consequences of children not getting access to the things they need in a country? To answer this, you would have to take a number of thoughts into consideration: If children don't have access to education will they be competitive workers in the labor market? If children have no access to healthcare, will they be able to work or go to school at all? What happens if they have no food? If most of the children in a country are plagued, or troubled, by these problems, can a country expect to grow economically without a viable workforce??? Taking care of the world's children means securing a brighter and more equitable future. With this in mind, twenty years ago world leaders at the United Nations established the Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international agreement to protect childrens' rights. Recognizing that children are especially vulnerable to being exploited and abused, and that children have a different set of needs to ensure they develop into healthy adults, the document aims to protect children from the dangers they face, and promote their healthy mental and physical development. You can learn more about CRC at the UNICEF website: watch animated videos of the articles in the Convention, or get inspired by ideas on how you can take action on behalf of kids all over the world.
This week we explored human rights at the local level. Former First Lady, and influential member of the UN Commission on Human Rights Eleanor Roosevelt reminded us that human rights start with us:
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."
These small places she refers to are the relationships we share among our fellow students, neighbors and co-workers. And human rights begin with the kindness and respect we show these people who make up our communities. In our experiment this week, we asked that some of you ignore your classmates and treat them like they didn't existed. You all had to accomplish a task, but those being ignored found it difficult to do so when they weren't even being acknowledged.
Consider a time when you felt ignored or disrespected. Isn't it difficult to work with someone who doesn't even treat you like you're human? Every day people are excluded because of who they are -- denied their rights because of their skin color, religion, political beliefs, gender or other attributes. So if we want to begin protecting human rights around the world, we must first start by promoting rights here in our communities. Smile at the new girl in class. Stop a friend when he's laughing at someone with a learning disability. By respecting the dignity of those around us, we are in fact fighting for human rights. How can we expect the world to change, if we aren't willing to change?
With that in mind, we asked you to create a list of rules necessary for guiding classroom discussions. What do you think we should keep in mind while sharing our opinions, and listening to those of others? Here is a condensed list of the ideas from all four classes:
Give full attention to whoever has the floor -- no side conversations, or talking over someone. Also, do not attempt to distract the speaker or your classmates.
Speak up/Step back: If you are used to letting everyone else talk, and don't usually share -- make an effort to participate. If you often share your opinions and ideas, give someone else a chance to talk, and listen to what others have to say.
Appreciate Diversity: respect others' opinions, don't make fun of their statements, and do not argue to change anyone's beliefs or ideas. The purpose of sharing is to understand different perspectives, not to determine whose is right or wrong/better or worse.
Stay Positive: bad attitudes not only affect you, they affect those around you -- smile, and let everyone know your mind is in the moment and not elsewhere.
NO VIOLENCE! Do not hit or in any way harm your classmates during lessons -- not even if you're just playing around. Things can escalate and get out of hand.
Be Respectful: Of other students, of us, and of your teachers. This involves following all of the above rules, and not doing anything to show disrespect of someone else.
How well do you believe you have followed these rules? What are some challenges of committing to these guidelines? The following video encourages you to turn your words into action. In every exchange you share with someone, we challenge you to think about these rules and how well you are adhering to them.
In this week's lesson, we discussed the legend of Amnesty International's founding. The organization was started in 1961, by a British lawyer named Peter Benenson (pictured on the right) after he read about two college students in Portugal who raised their glasses in celebration of liberty. Because Portugal was run by a strict dictator at the time, the students were arrested and imprisoned for this act. Peter Benenson, outraged, wrote a letter in the newspaper, urging people to write to the Portuguese government, demanding that the students be released. He felt people should not be persecuted for their beliefs or ideas. People all over the world responded by sending letters in support of the students and, soon, they were released. Peter Benenson went on to found Amnesty International with the belief that no one should be imprisoned for expressing their beliefs. More than that, he believed that by imprisoning these students, as well as through other injustices he saw around the world, that people were being denied the ability to be human. Only in a world where people are able to live up to their full potential would peace and prosperity be possible for everyone. So with a mission to ensure that everyone could enjoy to the fullest extent the freedoms and dignity of being human, Amnesty International joined a global effort to create a better world where this ideal could be realized…
AI armed itself with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (discussed in the video) to protect our humanity and to realize this world we envisioned. Amnesty Is able to continue its work protecting those who have had their rights violated because of the numerous members that make up its international network. And our work at CPE is part of Amnesty International’s mission to also promote human rights through education and action.
You also have an important role in promoting and protecting human rights. As stated in the video, human rights are the choices we make every day as human beings, and our shared responsibilities to help, respect and protect each other. This year, with these lessons, we will encourage you to internalize your rights and to respect the rights of others. How could you change your behavior to exhibit a respect for human rights?
We are a human rights education collaboration between Amnesty International and Centennial Place Elementary in Atlanta, Georgia. HRE Coordinators give weekly lessons to students on various rights issues, and empower students to think critically and act on their beliefs.
After acknowledging that the Peters Projection indirectly emphasizes the developing world, students in classes this week agreed that residents of places in Africa or South America would probably prefer the map over the Mercator Projection. While neither projection is more accurate than the other, certainly the Peters Projection implores that we take a second look at our world. While the sizes of countries does not relate to their value, seeing an accurate depiction of country sizes brings places we often ignore to the forefront. 
