Student rights

We hold these rights to be self-evident. They are supported by studies in education and psychology, by political documents protecting children rights, and by ideals of major philosophies and religions. Yet these rights are casually violated in many educational settings and families.

Mentors can do much to uphold these and other student rights. We briefly outline what a mentor may do to help students.

There are many other rights students should have. For example, there are rights related to physical and psychological safety. It pains us that the most frequently proposed addition to student rights submitted by our readers is, "Every student has a right to go to the bathroom when he or she needs." What does it tell us about the current state of student rights?

The right to choice of learning goals. Every student can decide if the goal of learning will be to be able to do a dance, to research biochemistry, to solve all problems in a puzzle book, to open your own physician practice, to understand the meaning of life or a pattern on a rug, or to go fly a kite.
Mentors should not "make sure" that students "cover" particular topics. Mentors' responsibility is to make possible for students to set a wide range of learning goals. Mentors can do it, first, by supporting existing students' goals, and second, by helping to develop new goals. This responsibility relates to informed choice of learning methods.

The right of informed choice of learning methods. Every student has the right to choose what, how, where, and with whom to study, based on open information about all available choices.
Mentors can support this right by helping the student learn more about all choices available in each community, such as helpful books and websites, ways of learning through courses, computer games, trips and apprenticeships, support groups and workshops. Mentors can't force students to choose a particular method of learning.

The right to privacy of learning. Each student has the right to decide who can access the learning process or any products. For example, students have discretion over objects they make such as pictures or sculptures, written work on problems, logs of computer activities, and evaluations of their work such as test results or grades. Students have the right to decline observation and evaluation of their work.
Mentors can help students to sort out the issues of privacy, for example, which structures and people are likely to keep privacy and which are not (e.g. some journalists or administrators). Mentors should not discuss students' learning process with anybody without students' explicit permission.