We are pleased to announce the availability of our latest installment of podcast episodes in Human Rights Education NOW! Episodes 15 & 16 feature conversations with Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet, and Shirin Unvala, Connecticut teachers and students.
Chris Buckley teaches history and human rights at Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Connecticut. Chris serves on the Steering Committee for the Connecticut Human Rights Partnership (CHRP). He is an instructor for the Introduction to Human Rights course offered by the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience program and an HRE USA Regional Representative for Connecticut.
Jake Skrzypiec is a social studies educator in Manchester, Connecticut. He developed Manchester High School’s Human Rights class, a required course for all students, and is an Early College Experience instructor through the University of Connecticut. He also serves as secretary of the Connecticut Human Rights Partnership, a non-profit working to advance human rights education and advocacy in the state. He is a frequent educational partner with the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center and a member of the National Council for the Social Studies HRE Community leadership team. Jake serves on the HRE USA Steering Committee and a Regional Representative for Connecticut.
Kevin Maysonnet is a student at Manchester High School and a member of the University of Connecticut’s Human Rights Close To Home Youth Advisory Team, which engages educators and youth in the development and implementation of human rights education for civic action.
Shirin Unvala is a student at the Center for Global Studies, Brien McMahon High School and is also a member of the University of Connecticut’s Human Rights Close To Home Youth Advisory Team, which engages educators and youth in the development and implementation of human rights education for civic action.
Episode 15: Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet and Shirin Unvala, Part One
In Episode 15, Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet, and Shirin Unvala, students and teachers, share their initial interest in human rights issues. They then discuss their thoughts on how to make schools more accepting of human rights issues, and the vision of human rights education (HRE) as a universal requirement for students. Chris, Jake, Kevin, and Shirin discuss misconceptions about HRE and the importance of emphasizing the “through and for human rights dimensions” of HRE. Next, the group discusses the Human Rights Close to Home program at the University of Connecticut, as well as challenges and obstacles which educators face when implementing HRE into public education spaces. The group goes on to share their thoughts on changing the public conversation to emphasize human rights issues in public discourse in the USA and the importance of examining local issues from a human rights perspective.
Topics discussed:
- Ideas on how to make schools more accepting of HRE
- Vision for HRE as a universal requirement for students
- Misconceptions about HRE
- Importance of emphasizing “through and for human rights dimensions”
- The Human Rights Close to Home program at University of Connecticut
- Challenges and obstacles educators face when implementing HRE in public education
- Changing the conversation to emphasize HRE in public discourse in USA
- Importance of examining local issues from a human rights perspective
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.
Episode 16: Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet and Shirin Unvala, Part Two
In Episode 16, teachers Chris Buckley and Jake Skrzypiec discuss the Human Rights Education (HRE) Community within and in connection to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Next, students Kevin Maysonnet and Shirin Unvala share their thoughts on using HRE to address human rights challenges in the US by engaging in activities that improve the quality of life for others and mobilizing people to advocate for human rights related to local issues. Chris and Jake further elaborate on connecting HRE to current issues in the US, such as attacks on LGBTQ+ community and restrictions on the study of US history. The group goes on to discuss the importance of envisioning today’s HRE students as change agents and the need for community members to speak out in support of human rights from the local to the federal level. Lastly, the group shares influential role models in HRE and closes with an important HRE quote and one recommendation each which they believe would advance HRE in the USA.
Topics discussed:
- HRE Community and connections to the National Council for the Social Studies
- HRE as a way to address human rights challenges in US
- Mobilizing advocates for human rights issues at a local level
- HRE as a way to address local issues such as LGBTQ+ concerns as one example
- Importance of support for HRE on a local and federal level
- Envisioning today’s HRE students as agents of change
- Influential role models in HRE
- Recommendations for advancing HRE in the USA
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.
HRE USA 