Guest Author - Sandy Mullins

Children’s Education

I am making this a two part article due to the length of Baha’i writings I have found talking about education.

“Bahá'u'lláh taught the Oneness of humanity; that is to say, all the children of men are under the mercy of the Great God. They are the sons of one God; they are trained by God. He has placed the crown of humanity on the head of every one of the servants of God. Therefore all nations and peoples must consider themselves brethren. They are all descendants from Adam. They are the branches, leaves, flowers and fruits of One Tree. They are pearls from one shell. But the children of men are in need of education and civilization, and they require to be polished, till they become bright and shining.”
Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 27

This is due to the fact that, with a good and equal education, a lot of the worlds ills would disappear. If all the people of the Earth receive a good and equal education, it is believed in principle that everybody would be able to support themselves and their families. This would also lead to the help eliminate starvation, hunger and discrimination. This is believed because recrimination is believed to come from ignorance. An equal and equal education for all would also lead to everyone being taught what is true and real instead of people believing what they have been told. If everybody could read and write, everyone could investigate for him or herself the truth.

Baha’u’llah talked at great lengths about the education of children. He explains that education like so many rights has been one sided for generations. It is generally believed that the male needs to be educated so he can support his family. If, you could only afford to send one child to college, it generally was the son over the daughter Abdu’l-Baha tells us differently:

“Work ye for the guidance of the women in that land, teach the young girls and the children, so that the mothers may educate their little ones from their earliest days, thoroughly train them, rear them to have a goodly character and good morals, guide them to all the virtues of humankind, prevent the development of any behaviour that would be worthy of blame, and foster them in the embrace of Bahá'í education.”
Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 124

"Furthermore, the education of women is of greater importance than the education of men, for they are the mothers of the race, and mothers rear the children. The first teachers of children are the mothers. Therefore, they must be capably trained in order to educate both sons and daughters."
Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 175

What if the parents can’t afford and good and equal education? For us to want all the children of today to receive this good and equal education something has to change. It’s time for either local or government to assist all children in a good and equal education. Now I am not saying that here in the United States they raise taxes, I am saying that all schools should be receiving the same funding. You as I am aware that there are differences within school districts all over the United States. People flock to one school in one district, move or lie about where they live to get their children in better schools. Isn’t it time where the need for this is over? Isn’t every child entitled to a good and equal education?

”The ninth admonition is in regard to education. All the children must be educated so that there will not remain one single individual without an education. In cases of inability on the part of the parents through sickness, death, etc., the state must educate the child. In addition to this widespread education, each child must be taught a profession or trade so that each individual member of the body politic will be enabled to earn his own living and at the same time serve the community.”
Baha’u’llah, Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 278

Look for part two, coming soon.

For more information on the Baha'i Faith please check Baha'i Links