Our Right - "Nos Enfants"
As you may or may not know, our children are "unschooled," a type of home-schooling that, simply put, does not follow a pre-decided curriculum based on what legislators or business people deem necessary for their development according to a pre-determined timetable.
The French president is currently trying to push through a law that takes away parents' right* to decide what type of education their children receive. He has made an unfortunate and shocking amalgam between Islamist radicals and parents who chose to assume the responsibility of educating their own children. He claims that by forcing all children into school, terrorism will be eradicated. I will not go into the fallacies of his argument but will point out two things: One, all known terrorists who have committed crimes in France have been school-educated either in France or abroad. Two, we are already required by law to declare our decision each year to both our mayor and the National Education system and are controlled by certified inspectors. Those not interested in following existent laws are not going to do so in the future either.
One mother and song artist Sasha Bogdanoff has recorded a song, which I would very much love for you to take time to listen to. Yes, it is in French, so this is a pretty blatant request just to click through even if you don't speak the language in order to increase the visibility of the song.
I will now do my best to provide an English translation of the lyrics. Keep in mind that if "Traduttore, traditore" is true in a general sense, it is doubly applicable where music and poetry are concerned. :P I have tried to leave phrases that have an understandable English equivalent. I apologize in advance to Ms. Bogdanoff, but her work is too beautiful not to share.
"Our Children"
I don't have the words, I don't have the forms
I don't have the contours of the decor
To express myself, free myself
To tell you to take a hike
And if tomorrow, you take away
My liberty to accompany
And if tomorrow, you steal
my lawful right to decide
Know, sir, that you're taking the wrong route
We are many who have no doubt
Our children, they are not made of wax
And our right is to teach them
On a boat, on a bike,
Under apple trees, in a museum
Early in the morning, or late
On horseback under tall trees
In my arms, reclining there
We think, we play at living
We find the rhythm, we improvise,
We organize our school of life
Know, sir, that you're taking the wrong route
We are many who have no doubt
Our children, they are not made of wax
And our right is to teach them
Know, sir, that you're taking the wrong route
We are many who have no doubt
Our children, they have learned to read
Between the lines of the Republic... the Republic.
The French lyrics to "Nos Enfants" de Sasha Bogdanoff:
Je n’ai pas les mots, je n’ai pas les formes,
Je n’ai pas les contours du décor.
Pour m’exprimer, me libérer,
Pour vous envoyer balader.
Et si demain, vous me preniez
Ma liberté de l’accompagner
Et si demain, vous me voliez
Mon droit premier, de décider.
Sachez Monsieur que vous faites fausse route,
Nous sommes nombreux à n’avoir point de doutes.
Nos enfants eux, ne sont pas faits de cire,
Et notre droit est celui de les instruire.
Sur un bateau, sur un vélo,
Sous les pommiers, dans un musée,
Le matin tôt, ou en retard,
Ou à cheval, sous les grands arbres,
Entre mes bras, allongés là,
On réfléchit, on joue à vivre,
On trouve le rythme, on improvise,
On organise l’école de notre vie.
Sachez Monsieur que vous faites fausse route,
Nous sommes nombreux à n’avoir point de doutes.
Nos enfants eux, ne sont pas faits de cire,
Et notre droit est celui de les instruire.
Sachez Monsieur que vous faites fausse route,
Nous sommes nombreux à n’avoir point de doutes.
Nos enfants eux, ont bien appris à lire,
Entre les lignes de la République.
______
*Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights
The French president is currently trying to push through a law that takes away parents' right* to decide what type of education their children receive. He has made an unfortunate and shocking amalgam between Islamist radicals and parents who chose to assume the responsibility of educating their own children. He claims that by forcing all children into school, terrorism will be eradicated. I will not go into the fallacies of his argument but will point out two things: One, all known terrorists who have committed crimes in France have been school-educated either in France or abroad. Two, we are already required by law to declare our decision each year to both our mayor and the National Education system and are controlled by certified inspectors. Those not interested in following existent laws are not going to do so in the future either.
One mother and song artist Sasha Bogdanoff has recorded a song, which I would very much love for you to take time to listen to. Yes, it is in French, so this is a pretty blatant request just to click through even if you don't speak the language in order to increase the visibility of the song.
I will now do my best to provide an English translation of the lyrics. Keep in mind that if "Traduttore, traditore" is true in a general sense, it is doubly applicable where music and poetry are concerned. :P I have tried to leave phrases that have an understandable English equivalent. I apologize in advance to Ms. Bogdanoff, but her work is too beautiful not to share.
Click to view"Our Children"
I don't have the words, I don't have the forms
I don't have the contours of the decor
To express myself, free myself
To tell you to take a hike
And if tomorrow, you take away
My liberty to accompany
And if tomorrow, you steal
my lawful right to decide
Know, sir, that you're taking the wrong route
We are many who have no doubt
Our children, they are not made of wax
And our right is to teach them
On a boat, on a bike,
Under apple trees, in a museum
Early in the morning, or late
On horseback under tall trees
In my arms, reclining there
We think, we play at living
We find the rhythm, we improvise,
We organize our school of life
Know, sir, that you're taking the wrong route
We are many who have no doubt
Our children, they are not made of wax
And our right is to teach them
Know, sir, that you're taking the wrong route
We are many who have no doubt
Our children, they have learned to read
Between the lines of the Republic... the Republic.
The French lyrics to "Nos Enfants" de Sasha Bogdanoff:
Je n’ai pas les mots, je n’ai pas les formes,
Je n’ai pas les contours du décor.
Pour m’exprimer, me libérer,
Pour vous envoyer balader.
Et si demain, vous me preniez
Ma liberté de l’accompagner
Et si demain, vous me voliez
Mon droit premier, de décider.
Sachez Monsieur que vous faites fausse route,
Nous sommes nombreux à n’avoir point de doutes.
Nos enfants eux, ne sont pas faits de cire,
Et notre droit est celui de les instruire.
Sur un bateau, sur un vélo,
Sous les pommiers, dans un musée,
Le matin tôt, ou en retard,
Ou à cheval, sous les grands arbres,
Entre mes bras, allongés là,
On réfléchit, on joue à vivre,
On trouve le rythme, on improvise,
On organise l’école de notre vie.
Sachez Monsieur que vous faites fausse route,
Nous sommes nombreux à n’avoir point de doutes.
Nos enfants eux, ne sont pas faits de cire,
Et notre droit est celui de les instruire.
Sachez Monsieur que vous faites fausse route,
Nous sommes nombreux à n’avoir point de doutes.
Nos enfants eux, ont bien appris à lire,
Entre les lignes de la République.
______
*Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights