Why International Baccalaureate (IB) is un-American

Why International Baccalaureate (IB) is un-American

by Allen Quist
Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota

Issues and Action in Education,

An e-letter produced by EdWatch, a nonprofit organization.

April 7, 2006

1. International Baccalaureate (IB) is and international system of education. It is run by a non-governmental organization called the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It was organized in 1968 by European diplomats who wanted their children to have a common undergraduate program. In 1996, however, IBO formed a “partnership” with UNESCO in order to create what both UNESCO and IBO call an “international education system.”

One of the IB World Schools web sites defines IB as follows:

What makes the program international?

"IB programs exist in schools in 90 countries worldwide. Every spring, IB students around the world take identical exams on the same day in various subjects. These exams are sent to other parts of the world [after being sent to Geneva] for grading. [Grading] is based on an international standard."

In addition, IBO insists that it will train and certify teachers for IBat the expense of the local school district, of course.

2. International Baccalaureate promotes world citizenship. The web site quoted just above says: “The IB curriculum encourages students to think globally.” Dr. Ian Hill, Deputy Director of IBO, has said that the goal of IBO is the promotion of “world citizenship.” Either United States citizenship or “world citizenship” must have priority in our education program. Which will it be? IB gives priority to world citizenship.

3. International Baccalaureate views state education standards as being subservient to, and interpreted by, the worldview of IB. Minnesota’s School District # 6078 describes the secondary role of state standards under IB when it states:

"The authors point out that everything contained in the standards does not constitute 'an enduring understanding' - [which] refer to the big ideas, the important understandings, that we want students to ‘get inside of’ and retain after they’ve forgotten many of the details.'” [p. 10 of Districts # 6078’s implementation plan.]

This means that state standards under IBO must be taught from the perspective of the worldview of International Baccalaureate. The IBO ideology has primary importance; state standards have lesser importance. It is not the intent of the Minnesota Legislature for the Minnesota State Standards to have secondary standing.

4. International Baccalaureate endorses the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR]. As is stated in the IBO article “Myths and Facts.”

5. By endorsing the UDHR, IBO has agreed to promote the United Nations along with the actions and treaties of the United Nations [UDHR Article 26, paragraph 2, which states, “Education shall … further the activities of the United Nations …”]. IBO promotes the actions and treaties of the UN even though many of these actions and treaties have not been approve by, or ratified by, the United States. Such treaties not ratified by the United States include the Biodiversity Treaty, the Treaty on the Rights of the Child, Agenda 21, the Kyoto Treaty and the Treaty establishing the United Nations International Criminal Court.

6. By endorsing the UDHR, IBO promotes the United Nations as being the highest court of appeals on issues of human rights. UDHR states: “These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations” [article 29, paragraph 3]. This means that IB promotes the view that the United Nations has higher standing than the United States Supreme Court on issues of human rights involving U.S. citizens.

7. By endorsing the UDHR, IBO undermines the foundation principle of the United States that human rights, such as the rights to life, liberty and property, are inherent and inalienable, and must be protected by government, as is stated in our Declaration of Independence. The issue is which has greater standing and authorityour God-given, inalienable human rights or the policies of a particular government. The Declaration of Independencethe philosophical foundation of the United States, insists on the former. The UDHR insists on the latter, as stated, once again, as follows: “These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations” [article 29, paragraph 3]. The view of human rights held by the United States is the foundation of liberty. The view of the United Nations is the foundation of totalitarianism.

8. IBO also endorses the Earth Charter, document that has not been ratified by the United States because it contains numerous provisions contrary to the nature and interests of the United States. By its endorsement, IBO agreed to the following endorsing statement:

"We, the undersigned, endorse the Earth Charter. We embrace the spirit and aims of the document. We pledge to join the global partnership for a just, sustainable, and peaceful world and to work for the realization of the values and principles of the Earth Charter. We pledge to join the Global Partnership in Support of the Earth Charter Initiative for a sustainable way of life AND urge all governments to endorse the Earth Charter.

The Earth Charter is housed in the “Ark of Hope” and is correctly identified by the World Pantheist Association as a Pantheistic document. Besides Pantheism, the Earth Charter advocates:

1. The redistribution of wealth between nations and within nations [Art. 10.a.]
2. Same-sex marriage [Art. 12.a.]
3. Spiritual education [Art 14.d.] which means education in Pantheism.
4. Military disarmament [Art. 16.d.&e.]
5. Creation of an international agency to make the Earth Charter binding on all nations [in “The Way Forward” action-plan.]

9. Many of the IBO instructional materials are now being written, or overseen, by the UN. The IBO website says:

"The Global Teaching and Learning Project of the UN in New York accepted an IBO tender to produce two teaching booklets about UN global issues. … The project has been undertaken by the International Baccalaureate Curriculum and Assessment Centre in Cardiff using experienced curriculum writers from around the world, principally in IB World Schools, and having UN input and approval of the 20 units completed. They will be copyrighted by the UN, with acknowledgement to the IBO for its work, and disseminated to the governments of all member states for use in schools."

Conclusion: The foundational principles of the United States are summarized in the Declaration of Independence and are properly called the “twelve pillars of freedom.” In addition to what IBO promotes, it rejects all 12 of these Declaration principles. Amendment X of our Bill of Rights clarifies that all the rights in our Bill of Rights are inherent and inalienable (as also stated in the Declaration of Independence). IBO rejects article X or our bill of Rights, however, and by so doing rejects the entirety of our Bill of Rights. International Baccalaureate is un-American.

Allen Quist is Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota, and is a former three-term Minnesota state legislator. He is also author of three recent books on the federal education system.

See also, " Pennsylvania Schools Reject Indoctrination," by Joseph Klein, FrontPageMagazine.com | March 1, 2006

Ed Watch
EDUCATION FOR A FREE NATION 105 Peavey Road, Suite 116, Chaska, MN 55318
952-361-4931 http://www.edwatch.org

EdWatch is entirely user-supported. The continuation of our research and distribution work is entirely dependent upon individual contributors. If you want to assure that our work continues, click here. If you want to subscribe or unsubscribe to this EdWatch e-mail service, mail to: edwatch@lakes.com. Put "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" in the SUBJECT of the message. Resources of videos, books, and audiotapes are available on our shopping cart.

Popular pages at EdWatch.org: In the News: EdWatch Speakers in radio, print, and internet

Featured Itesm: Popular articles, Updates and Resources

See also Brave New Schools, Chapter 2: The International Agenda

Home