Intercultural Human Rights Law Review
First Page
329
Abstract
In this article, we address the theoretical issues, both ethical and purely philosophical, of truth as a human right for adolescent students in public secondary schools. As for the purely philosophical aspect, this concerns ontology which raises the question how can truth exist, while epistemology asks how can people acquire the truth. While the right to truth can also be substantiated by ethics, it would not make sense to advance this right unless "truth" referred to a reality that humans have access to. On our premises, the right to truth is a right to know all education relevant facts which at the same time constitute enabling conditions for the purpose of actualizing one's potential as an individual and, with this, securing self-actualization. Analytically, the enabling conditions overlap with the fundamental interests of adolescent students. Furthermore, on our premises, the right to truth is an integral part of quality education. It is unfortunate, therefore, that only international law expressly recognizes the right to education. Whereas certain international conventions include the right of access to education, they do not bind ratifying States to a specific educational structure. Notwithstanding, in the context of ethics we lament violations because these are symptoms of a larger problem. For example, grade inflation is not just about giving a grade that is higher than the student deserves, it is also first and foremost about treating adolescent students as equal members of humanity.
Recommended Citation
Anja Matwijkiw & Willie Mack,
Making Sense of the Right to Truth in Educational Ethics: Toward a Theory and Practice that Protect the Fundamental Interests of Adolescent Students,
2
Intercultural Hum. Rts. L. Rev.
329
(2007).
Available at:
https://scholarship.stu.edu/ihrlr/vol2/iss1/14