De rechten van kinderen en de verdeling van pedagogische taken en verantwoordelijkheden tussen ouders en professionals

Abstract

Many pedagogical experts and politicians nowadays argue for state supported formalization and professionalization of preschool upbringing and education.Therefore, a politico-philosophical discussion is needed about the division of responsibilities and tasks between parents and professionals. In this article Istart from an ethics of individual rights in which the development right of childrento an education directed at personal autonomy can be deduced from the exercise right of adults to form and revise their own conception of the good life in an autonomous way. The state has the obligation to ensure that all children receive the primary goods that enable them to realize this developmental right.That means that children have the right to compulsory education in which the knowledge and abilities are taught that everybody needs in later life, but only in exceptional cases are learned without the aid of formal education. So long as children’s development rights are not harmed or threatened by their natural parents, there is no need to formalize and professionalize preschool upbringing.The most important reason for this is that (biological) parents normally are able and committed to fulfill the duties connected with the rights of infants and toddlers to natural love, continuity of care, and open commitment. Because(unconditional) parental love (Frankfurt) and unconditional loyalty are part of their nature, natural parents have a state supported privilege to raise infants and toddlers.