Giving Compass' Take:

· Writing for Getting Smart, Michael Niehoff explains how education has changed throughout history and why we need a 21st Century Education Student Bill of Rights to protect students, their rights, and their voices. 

· How does the current education system account fro student voices and perspectives? How can these points be incorporated more into schools? 

· Check out this article about a Student Safety Bill of Rights. 

Access to a relevant, personalized, applied, tech-infused and choice-based education should be non-negotiable for all students. It’s time for a 21st Century Education Student Bill of Rights.

My pedagogy has always been based on a constant effort to look at every educational experience through a student’s perspective. It could stem from my early background as a media professional or from my lifetime interest in advocating for young people. Or maybe I always reflect on my education and imagine how great it could have been if I were ever asked how it could be better. I think far too often educators have not looked at things in terms of student impact or perspective when implementing lessons, activities, programs or even pedagogy.

And now at a time when the world of work and education are changing so dramatically, I am forced once again to ask what are we doing in our educational system designs to account for student perspective, interest, voice, choice, and impact?

Essentially, can things as crucial as educational technology, web access, use of social media, real college and career opportunities, mentoring and job shadowing be considered optional or left to the whims of particular school boards, administrators, teachers or other educational entities?

I will respond with a profound “NO.” I think that all students should have access to real-world tools and resources, technology and professional applications for their education, choice and voice in their academic program, and opportunities to provide constructive feedback to their educational leaders and mentors. In other words, these should be non-negotiable. And if they are truly non-negotiable, I believe they have become inalienable student rights.

That’s right. These are now student rights issues. If we believe that all students have the right to a free K-12 public education, what does that mean and how does it look? Again, school boards, administrators, leaders, teachers, and others should not be able to opt out of things that can easily be identified as educational rights.

No one would argue against the fact that all students should have access to things like transportation, seats and co-curricular programs. Then why is it acceptable for a student at one school to be using 21st century tools while another student down the road (literally in most cases) is using outdated 20th century resources? It’s not acceptable—it’s an equity and equal rights issue.

Read the full article about a 21st Century Education Student Bill of Rights by Michael Niehoff at Getting Smart.