Education for Tolerance

What is Tolerance?

* The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that
one does not necessarily agree with.

* The capacity to endure continued subjection to something, especially a drug, transplant, antigen, or
environmental conditions, without adverse reaction.

The concept of tolerance is rather general, and, as a word, can often have negative connotations of
blindly accepting something or someone, or enduring something for ease.

But what tolerance really stands for is peaceful co-existence, open-mindedness and respect for others,
regardless of differences in ethnicity, social standing, beliefs or ability.

Why teach tolerance?

* Prejudice may be challenged by teaching tolerance.

Tolerance is the respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures and various forms
of human expression (UNESCO, 1995).

It is the foundation of democracy and human rights. Education for tolerance aims to counter influences
that lead to fear, aversion towards and exclusion of others. Tolerance recognizes that others have the
right to be who they are.

UNESCO asserts that education is the most effective means of preventing intolerance. There is a need
for schools to educate citizens who are appreciative of other cultures, respectful of human dignity and
differences, and able to prevent or resolve conflicts amicably.

Discrediting hateful propaganda towards the different other through education is an imperative. Major
religious traditions call on their flock to treat others with the same respect and dignity they give
themselves. More so, the call to challenge prejudice is enshrined in various human fights instruments.
Nations, through international agreements and treaties, have affirmed their commitment to the
protection and promotion of human rights such as the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion,
opinion, and expression.

* Article 1.2 of the "Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice" stipulates that "all individuals and groups
have the right to be different" .
Results of Intolerance in society

* Violence

* Terrorism

* Discrimination

* Conflicts among groups

In addition, educating for tolerance is a practical alternative. Intolerance has given rise to violence,
terrorism and discrimination within societies. A lack of respect for differences, among other factors, has
given rise to conflicts between and among groups as in the cases of the Catholics and Protestants in
Northern Ireland, the Israelis and Palestinians in Israel; the Bosnian Serbs and the ethnic Albanians in
Kosovo; the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda; and some Christians and Moros in Mindanao. The World Health
Organization (2002) has placed casualties in armed conflicts at one person every 100 seconds. Teaching
for tolerance will aid in protecting human rights and in saving lives.

Results of intolerance in school

* In schools, prejudice is seen to have negatively influenced academic achievement and self-esteem
(Ancis, et. al., 2000).

* Victims are more likely to drop out of school (Kistner, et al., 1993).

* It also negatively influences the psychological health of victims because of feelings of isolation and
alienation (Neville et. Al, 1997) and has negative effects on physical health.

Sadly, victims internalize the very negative views on their abilities that others hold of them and thus, do
not live up to their potentials.

* Levine (1997) reports that the usual victims of prejudice in schools are those who are not smart or
those who are too smart; those who are on the heavy side; those whose religion or skin colors are
different; those who are economically disadvantaged; those whose looks do not meet set standards of
beauty; and those who are disabled. Victims are normally excluded, taunted or physically harmed.

*B. Harro (1982) asserts that humans are born with stereotypes and prejudices already in place in
society. These stereotypes and prejudicial attitudes are reinforced in the family and in the institutions
where humans are socialized.
The Center for Peace Education, in workshops conducted throughout the Philippines, surveyed its
participants, mostly teachers and students, on their biases about certain groups of people. Participants
were made to write the messages they have received about certain groups of people while they were
growing up. Many of these prejudices are surprising, if not outright heartbreaking. Fortunately, the cycle
of socialization that brought forth these biases can be interrupted through education.

The absence of tolerance and the presence of prejudice could form chaos to the society shaping the
violence, terrorism and discrimination. The lack of respect to the culture along with the other factors
had rise conflicts among the groups.