Schoolgirls a given here, a blessing elsewhere
As a mother of three school-age daughters, the recent start of school has me thinking of the educational opportunities available to children in other parts of the world and, in particular, to the girls of Afghanistan.
Fewer than half of Afghanistan's girls attend school. Those who are able to attend are threatened by the Taliban's efforts to prevent the education of girls.
Human Rights Watch has reported the murders of teachers and attacks on students. The Taliban has burned schools and threatened others with letters delivered in the night.
If girls cannot go to school in some parts of the world, we have a very long way to go to achieve equality for women. We are so lucky in this country to have a public education system that includes all children.
We should not take it for granted.
Margaret Rowlett
Greensboro
Special to the News & Record
Anna Gilbert, the daughter of letter writer Margaret Rowlett, heads to school on her first day of third grade recently. In some parts of the world, girls cannot go to school.
Comments (4)
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I do admit that we've got it better than Afghanistan. Then again, Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world and we're one of the wealthiest.
As far as being thankful for our public education...
Why is there such an abundance of private schools in the area?
Posted on September 5, 2006 10:53 AM
Ms. Rowlett:
We can't let the females become educated in Afganistan. They need to watch the children and prepare the meals so the menfolk can tend the opium crops.
BTW - Bush eradicated the Taliban from Afganistan - he told us so.
Posted on September 5, 2006 12:51 PM
If we had given every person in Afghanistan some of the money we spent to wage war there, it would not be the poorest country in the world. But then, they would not use their money they way we do: building an army, buying their poppy seeds, bombing small "insurgent" villages, and flying Afghanis to Washington to shore up the administration's illusion of "success".
Posted on September 6, 2006 1:52 PM
Huh?
Posted on September 6, 2006 3:10 PM