Reflecting the human rights mission in the School Charter (Auckland Girls Grammar) (Sep 2008)

Reflecting the human rights mission in the School Charter (Auckland Girls Grammar) (Sep 2008)

Recognising the human rights mission of the school and making clear reference to human rights in the School Charter is crucial to developing understanding of human rights and responsibilities in the school community. It also helps create the planning and review focus necessary to drive successful implementation of the Initiative to generate the sort of results we know can be achieved through human rights-based education.

As part of the Human Rights in Education Initiative, Auckland Girls Grammar School has made clearer references to human rights in their 2008 School Charter. In its preamble. the revised Charter clearly states that

As a community we acknowledge the right of our young people to an education that respects and helps realise their human rights and those of others.

Our school is one of the founding partners of the Human Rights in Education initiative. The project aims to develop New Zealand's schools as communities in which human rights and responsibilities are known, promoted and lived.

The descriptions of the school's various educational provisions make explicit reference to, helping to reinforce understanding of, the human rights mission of the school eg

Committed to the right to education for all, Auckland Girls' Grammar School is the lead school for a Teen Parenting Unit for young mothers from the greater Auckland area.

The school's statement of values, using the acrostic PRIDE includes clear references to human rights:

Respect - All members of the Auckland Girls' Grammar School Community will honour the unique qualities that every student and staff member brings to the school. They will show respect at all times for themselves, others, human rights, and the environment.

Empathy - All members of the Auckland Girls' Grammar School Community will have an understanding of the feelings of others based on an understanding of their inherent dignity and rights

The Charter explains that the school's involvement in the Initiative underpins the school's priorities for the next five years:

Contributing to these strategic directions, our school will develop as a community that knows, promotes and lives human rights and responsibilities.

Many of the strategic goals and objectives are expressed in explicit human rights terms: eg

Auckland Girls' Grammar School will cater for the academic, sporting, cultural and social needs and rights of all students, so each individual experiences success and strives for personal excellence.

Auckland Girls' Grammar School will continue to develop and implement practices and programmes that encourage students to respect and understand justice and human rights issues.