public education activism
Decca is a media advocate for a global activist organization whose main purpose is to inspire a new generation of activists to maintain the organization’s healthy lifestyle impetus and to this end she uses the public educational system very effectively.
“Our aim is to develop health education in schools, not as an occasional one-off lesson, but as an integral part of the curriculum,” says Decca. “We want to encourage and inspire a new generation of educators and activists to ensure that our work will be carried forward.”
“Those in the teaching profession are ideally placed to inspire a new generation of true believers,” says Decca, “so getting teachers on our side to influence parents and students is vital for the propagation of our healthy lifestyle agenda – no drinking or smoking or eating unwholesome food.”
“More and more teachers have become ‘exemplars’ of our healthy agenda,” says Decca. “Employment in the teaching profession now requires a dedication not to smoke, and while it is very difficult to discriminate against overweight teachers and those who drink alcohol it will soon become mandatory for those who choose an unhealthy lifestyle to have their employment terminated.”
“If we are to inspire a new generation of healthy lifestyle activists we must ensure that those in the teaching profession put themselves forward as role models of healthy living in the same way that we expect our sporting heroes to be,” explains Decca. “Our education programs cannot work without full teacher compliance.”
“The most important part of our agenda is to appeal to parents and influence children and we cannot do that if we ourselves, and those in the teaching profession are not providing an exemplar role,” says Decca. “We are up against unhealthy industries directing advertising and promotions at children on a daily basis, and we need to use every arsenal we can to get our message across.”
“Our most effective tactic in appealing to parents is to ask: What about the children?” says Decca. “We make no apology for the emotive nature of this tactic – it works!”
“Educational facilities the world over are being used to help us in our healthy lifestyle agenda,” says Decca. “The most appealing advertising we have at our disposal is that which is done by the children themselves. Who can forget the anti-smoking posters done by children in various countries which was put into book form and became a best seller!”
“The smartest fashion and the one most worthy of emulation is to choose health,” says Decca, “and now that we have convinced the western world not to smoke we are ramping up our educational campaigns to convince children not to take up alcohol and unhealthy eating as well.”
“We do this in the same way that we attacked smoking,” explains Decca. “We use all of the usual child abuse metaphors to convince teachers and parents that shopkeepers who sell “disgusting” products are to be reviled – especially those in the food industry who use ‘toys’ to attract children.”
“This is child abuse and parents need to be taught that shopkeepers who attract their children in this way are abusers,” says Decca. “They, and the industries they represent, are legacies of nineteenth century capitalism or 'Social Darwinism' where profit justified unscrupulous activity.”
“We are in the 21st century now and the teaching profession must be at the vanguard of social responsibility, upholding product liability and advertising honesty,” says Decca. “It is not enough that schools teach the three “Rs” – we need to teach children to fight the good fight against evil profiteers.”
Read more by Decca on this issue:
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