Protecting Children From War

01/24/2003

"The truth is like gold: keep it locked up and you will find it exactly as you first put it away."
–African proverb

PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM WAR

The Concerned Educators Allied for a Safe Environment (CEASE) has forwarded this message about the pending war:

"As the United States is drifting toward a 'pre-emptive' war with Iraq, many of us are worried about the costs of war on children. Since the November elections, we have already seen budgetary threats to the many child care and early education programs that depend on government support. How much of this is due to the prospect of up to $200 billion in Federal expenditures on a war? Abroad, we can expect to see devastating effects on the children of Iraq if such a war occurs. And all over the world, a war will be teaching children lessons about the use of violence and brute force to solve conflicts that will last for a lifetime.

"In the light of these concerns, CEASE, an established national organization of early childhood educators, asked the NAEYC Governing Board to educate our elected leaders about how military intervention can harm young children. In response, the Governing Board reaffirmed its official position statement on violence in the lives of children and reminded policy makers that violent conflict can have harmful consequences for children. Currently this policy is being communicated to policy makers only through NAEYC's web site. Further action is now needed.

"CEASE urges all of us to act individually and collectively (for instance, through local NAEYC Affiliate Organizations) to let our elected officials, including the President, know our concerns about how a war will affect young children. We are asking you to do this so that the interests of children will be taken into account before any irreversible decisions about going to war have been taken. Please write to the President at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20500. Your Senators are at US Senate, Washington, DC 20510, and your Representatives are at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515."

To read the NAEYC statement on violence, click on the address below:
http://www.naeyc.org/resources/position_statements/psviol98.pdf

CEASE is an Exchange Strategic Partner and NAEYC is a member of the World Forum Alliance. For details about these organizations go the "ECE Organizations" section of our web site, www.ChildCareExchange.com.

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