On Childism and Education

I watched this fabulous video essay

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iy53s5b3xkA&t=3636s&pp=ygUVZ3JvdyB1cCBsZWZ0aXN0IGNvb2tz

by The Leftist Cooks on children in society and the exciting academic concept of Childism, which posits that children deserve societal participation as well as to be considered in every aspect of life, not just considered but involved, including in democracy.

There's an extremely fabulous quote on the childist vision for education:

"Reimagining education as community formation" - Tanu Biswas

which I am so into.

Seeing education not as building the labour force and teaching children how to be good workers and behave appropriately but actually viewing it as creating the community, after all, children are part of the community. Biswas talks of involving the older generation in the community with teaching skills and passing on knowledge which is an idea I really love.

Children are really not considered appropriately, it's very top down from the adults to the children, telling them what to do, what to like, how to exist. It doesn't often consider let alone ask the opinions of the child.

In a world where less are having children there has been a spike in hating them, which the leftist cooks address. I think I've held similar beliefs on segregation for example (why is there a child allowed to scream on the train/in the restaurant etc) when I was younger but not outright hatred of children.

They are people. They are the community. They can teach us and we can teach them. We can learn from each other and co exist beautifully.

I really fuck with Childism.

Tom Critchlow • LF:13 Family Futures