Will Robi (7, Gypsy) be good in school after the reform?
The depth and diversity of stereotypes we have in Europe against each other are one of the greatest obstacles to the economic growth of the continent.
The current system (structure, methodology applied) gives a perfect framework to separation of kids from one another where practices of discrimination have become widespread.
Actually I haven’t seen the video published with the current mission report and I think it really sums up what I have also been missing in the field of education. Thanks for sharing!
Unfortunately public spheres (politics, education, health, employment) are mostly slow at getting and applying innovation. I think that is especially true in the online world.
The way we educate our children definitely needs a thorough overview and a prompt change. Although reforming the system of education will not only require transforming relevant legislations, curriculum, retraining of teachers and changing habits of schools but also changing habits of politicians and actually of all citizens 
We have a good track record of identifying the differences and thus we tend to develop an identity of being different than others which is many times interpreted as a “bad thing” in Europe. Our history has shifted us towards this approach.
One of the toughest habits I have been coming across as a child as well as a father of three is discrimination in school. The current educational system and the educational methodology used provides a real chance to less than 1% of all Roma/Gypsy children. Extreme right wing thinkers argue it’s for the bad genes Roma/Gypsy (hereinafter referred to as ‘Roma’) have and when it comes to judging Roma than 6 to 8 ppl out of ten would think alike irrespective of political, religious background in all Central and Eastern European states. The same applies to media too.
The very first thing a Roma child is confronted with on the first school day in his/her life is that s/he is different, comes from a criminal group that lies, cheats and is stinky. These are the first attributes associated to our ethnic group. So how enthusiastic will you be with any kind of reform when you get this from school mates and many teachers also contribute to deepening the stereotypes against Roma kids in the class (Roma children sit in the last row in the class, they have a permission to miss out certain classes so they do not disturb the others, Roma children are overrepresented in special schools for physically and mentally disabled children etc.).
So I am definitely FOR changing the educational system but it should be done in a way where stereotypes are challenged and kids are completing projects in groups where they are always asked to join new and new groups.
Just to show you guys how deep stereotypes are, check out this video. THis is ‘Robika’, a 7 year old Roma kid who just got featured in the Hungarian version of the x-factor talent program. In the last couple of days, he’s been receiving a vast number of racist comments from tens of thousands of people across the country. Now you can imagine what this kid may expect to receive from the other pupils when walking in the classroom on his first school day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peCv90NYoSY
