The Critical Role of Love in Educating for Non‐violence: the messenger is the message1

Abstract

There is growing concern in the Caribbean about the escalating levels of youth crime and violence. My thesis is that we must stop adopting simplistic or palliative solutions which relate merely to the symptoms of the problem and instead devise solutions which are relevant to root causes. The analysis is based on the reality that every young person has a basic need for a nurturing loving environment which will foster emotional security, self‐confidence and feelings of self‐worth. It is also based on the premise that every young human being is inherently quite lovable, intelligent and well‐disposed to every other human being, but the experience of early emotional hurt and distress which remains unresolved leaves a residue of emotional pain which often manifests itself as anti‐social and violent behaviour. Both the home and the school are pivotal in the socialization of every child. Unfortunately many parents and teachers are themselves carrying around much emotional baggage based on their own unresolved issues of early emotional distress. In the more dysfunctional homes the young child, subject to constant invalidation and other emotional battering, becomes seriously at risk if his school environment is also non‐nurturing. This intervention, initiated by the author, which is being implemented in the Caribbean under the aegis of UNESCO, aims at changing the culture of the classroom by having teachers experientially examine some of their unresolved emotional issues to enable them to function in a validating, nurturing role in the classroom. 1. Text of key‐note address for the Conference “Education for Non‐Violence”; 10‐12 December, 1997, Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles (organized by The Government of the Netherlands Antilles, in cooperation with UNESCO and the Government of the Netherlands).