Statement on the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai

October 14, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Coalition for Responsible Home Education Executive Director Rachel Coleman issued the following statement regarding the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai:

“In its decision to honor two key figures in the fight to empower children, the Nobel Committee has signaled that children’s right to an education is a critical battleground in the global struggle for justice. CRHE’s belief in this same important global cause is what drives our efforts to promote and protect the educational rights of homeschooled children.

“Pakistan and India are not the only places where children’s right to an education is not guaranteed. There are children in the United States today who are being deprived of an education through laws that enable homeschooling parents to legally neglect their children’s educational needs. In some cases, homeschooled children have been subject to gender-based educational discrimination or exploited for their labor. CRHE believes that safeguarding children’s right to an education is critical to ensuring their access to an open future, no matter what country they live in.

“I am excited that the Nobel Committee has chosen to bring attention to this crucial issue.  Like Malala Yousafzai, many young homeschooled Americans are struggling today to have their educational needs met.  This award should inspire Americans to guarantee that all homeschooled children have access to an education.”

The Coalition for Responsible Education is a national organization dedicated to raising awareness of the need for homeschooling reform, providing public policy guidance, and advocating for responsible home education practices.  For more information, contact info@responsiblehomeschooling.org or (617) 765-7096.