Promote equitable education
The Rights and Opportunities Foundation seeks to promote social justice and more equitable educational opportunities for underserved children and youth in the United States and worldwide through the direct implementation of Foundation activities.
For details about projects in which we are actively involved, see “Education Programs.”
Guiding principles for the Foundation activities in education are to:
a) Create a more just and sustainable future.
b) Reverse patterns of social inequalities.
c) Create awareness of issues of social justice, environmental sustainability, and peace.
d) Encourage teachers and students to build a more equitable, multicultural society, and become active global citizens.
e) Prepare students to think critically and solve problems across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
f) Promote dialogue on a global level that develops intercultural literacy skills in seeking understandings/solutions to common human experiences.
g) Share innovative tools, strategies and lessons with others to prove that meaningful change is achievable at scale and success is possible for every child.
h) Build capacity at local and national levels to implement activities which support the above listed principles.
The Foundation, under Dr. Brown’s direction, provides technical expertise and material resources to improve educational opportunities and literacy in under-served populations in the US and other countries. This program is implemented through professional development for educators using face to face and on-line workshops and training. Global learning networks and innovative uses of technology are a leading activity in the training for professional development and for promoting cross-cultural dialogue and understanding .
The Foundation identifies areas and populations of disadvantaged students and, working with local partners, provides consulting and advocacy in communities to build capacity in educators, school systems and community organizations. Additionally, the Foundation supports educational systems, local and community programs and non-profit organizations in developing educational programs to promote interactive, culturally sensitive, educational opportunities in under-served areas. The Foundation promotes rights-based efforts to educate and empower young people, their families and their communities. This includes technical and financial support of identified local educational systems, both public and private, and the identification and empowerment of children, youth and adults who show promise in promoting values of cultural and linguistic diversity, equity and social responsibility within their communities. Support to persons and communities will be provided without regard to political, ethnic or religious considerations.
The Foundation may also support other public, non-profit and private agencies whose mission is to advance education of under-served populations. The Foundation provides technical support and funding for research and publication of literature which describes promising practices aligned with Foundation objectives of rights based and social justice values and cultural and linguistic diversity.
One goal of the Foundation is to continue the work of Project Orillas, an international telecommunications educational using project based learning and collaborative critical inquiry.
For more details about educational projects in which we are involved, see “Education Programs.”