Education

I think organizational humanism should be focused on early education. I find it somewhat confusing that Humanism, the organized American movement, is seated largely in collegiate settings but does not vigorously explore volunteer opportunities in local public schools. Local public schools in most urban environments are struggling. The young minds in those schools will change the world of the future.

 

By volunteering as mentors to help children read better or do math better, humanists are doing the work of humanism. That access to young minds can allow humanists to introduce the idea of living humanist values of equality, peace and justice into those young minds by example. Living humanism is the best way of spreading humanism.

 

I heard a report about Boston public schools today on public radio. It was discouraging. Students of color, no longer the minority, are still facing barriers to quality education in this Athens of America, the home of many highly esteemed universities.

 

Humanist organizations now function as special interest groups, striving to serve the needs of contributing members. Most of these contributing members have relatively few material needs to be served by these organizations. Perhaps the greatest need of the privileged is to be motivated to serve the underprivileged in concrete, hands-on ways. Early education is one place where  this energy could and should be focused.