Opinion
Education Opinion

Growing Up With War

February 13, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

New York City, 1998
My high school friends have begun to suspect I haven’t told them the full story of my life.
“Why did you leave Sierra Leone?”
“Because there is a war.”
“Did you witness some of the fighting?”
“Everyone in the country did.”
“You mean you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?”
“Yes, all the time.”
Cool.”
I smile a little.
“You should tell us about it sometime.”
“Yes, sometime.”

—Ishmael Beah, from A Long Way Gone

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

At the age of 12, Ishmael Beah was separated from his family when rebels in Sierra Leone’s civil war attacked his village and killed his parents; at 13, he’d been captured by the government army, drugged by his superiors into compliance, and taught to fight. Now 26, he recounts in this memoir his three years as a child soldier and gradual rehabilitation through the work of UNICEF. Amnesty International estimates that there are some 300,000 children under the age of 18 currently engaged in armed conflict in more than 30 countries; their stories are seldom told firsthand, however. For Beah, at least, the ordeal ended happily: Brought to the United States in 1998, he completed his last two years of high school at the United Nations International School in New York City, graduated from Oberlin College in 2004, and serves as a member of the advisory committee for the children’s-rights division of Human Rights Watch.

See Also

Stolen Voices: Young People’s War Diaries, From World War I to Iraq

Fourteen juvenile soldiers’ and civilians’ accounts in the tradition of Anne Frank, edited by the author of the 1994 international best-seller Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo.

Army 101: Inside ROTC in a Time of War

A study of the collegiate military-training program, relevant for those contemplating joining or currently enrolled at its junior (high school) level.

Pledging Allegiance: The Politics of Patriotism in America’s Schools

Education leaders, political activists, and classroom practitioners weigh in on civic education when the United States is engaged militarily abroad; contributors include Studs Terkel, Chester E. Finn, Jr., Deborah Meier, and Howard Zinn.

A version of this article appeared in the February 14, 2007 edition of Education Week as Growing Up With War

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Personalized Learning Webinar
Personalized Learning in the STEM Classroom
Unlock the power of personalized learning in STEM! Join our webinar to learn how to create engaging, student-centered classrooms.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Webinar
Students Speak, Schools Thrive: The Impact of Student Voice Data on Achievement
Research shows that when students feel heard, their outcomes improve. Join us to learn how to capture student voice data & create positive change in your district.
Content provided by Panorama Education
School & District Management Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: How Can We ‘Disagree Better’? A Roadmap for Educators
Experts in conflict resolution, psychology, and leadership skills offer K-12 leaders skills to avoid conflict in challenging circumstances.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: August 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 14, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: July 17, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: June 19, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read