Escape From Childhood
Encyclopedia
Escape from Childhood: The Needs and Rights of Children is a book by John Caldwell Holt
. ISBN 978-0345244345
For most of John Holt’s career as an author he wrote primarily about schooling. Escape from Childhood still holds ties to the messages of his other books, but it focuses on Holt's thoughts and beliefs about the rights of children in society in general rather than schooling specifically. This book is remarkable for its advocacy for youth rights
and against adultism
and ephebiphobia
, as evidenced in Holt's opening statement,
John Caldwell Holt
John Caldwell Holt was an American author and educator, a proponent of homeschooling, and a pioneer in youth rights theory.-Biography:...
. ISBN 978-0345244345
For most of John Holt’s career as an author he wrote primarily about schooling. Escape from Childhood still holds ties to the messages of his other books, but it focuses on Holt's thoughts and beliefs about the rights of children in society in general rather than schooling specifically. This book is remarkable for its advocacy for youth rights
Youth rights
Youth rights refers to a set of philosophies intended to enhance civil rights for young people. They are a response to the oppression of young people, with advocates challenging ephebiphobia, adultism and ageism through youth participation, youth/adult partnerships, and promoting, ultimately,...
and against adultism
Adultism
Adultism has been defined as "the power adults have over children". More narrowly, 'adultism is prejudice and accompanying systematic discrimination against young people'...
and ephebiphobia
Ephebiphobia
The fear of youth is called ephebiphobia. First coined as the "fear and loathing of teenagers," today the phenomenon is recognized as the "inaccurate, exaggerated and sensational characterization of young people" in a range of settings around the world...
, as evidenced in Holt's opening statement,
- I propose...that the rights, privileges, duties of adult citizens be made available to any young person, of whatever age, who wants to make use of them.