Czech Police officer explains why he donated to Romani Scholarships

One day a few months ago I saw a hate campaign online by some Czech citizens against a primary school in Teplice. Then I found out that other Czech citizens had organized a collection for the children of that school and to support Romani students.
As a police officer, I have worked for 21 years in the department investigating criminal activity among minority communities. I know very well what kind of environment the perpetrators of criminal activity are recruited from.
I know the conditions these people have grown up in, who their role models were, what their prospects were. It could almost be said that those conditions predetermined them to end up in either a childcare institution or a prison.
Over the years I have realized that the path that leads to inclusion in society runs through a community's children. It is through their education, showing them a different way of life than the one they see for themselves every day.
Demonstrating to children that a different life is possible is the way. This means showing them positive role models.
Inclusion depends on children knowing more than just life on the street. Over the years I have seen the results among the members of families with whom nonprofit organizations have worked.
Yes, of course, THEY themselves must want to change. Yes, of course, there are still families who are not interested in changing.
However, the growing tendency for people to want to change is apparent. Those who want to see this, will.
I am also aware that the hatred that has arisen against the unsuspecting pupils of this first-grade class has a positive aspect to it. Why do I say that?
Isn't that a contradiction in terms? No, it's not.
That hatred was a trial balloon to see whether we are asleep or awake. This is a test of our civil society.
This is a test of us all to see whether we manage to stand up to evil, hatred, and intolerance of diversity, or whether we will be indifferent. Let's try to imagine if such hatred had been directed against our own children.
We would speak up in such a case - but when it's somebody else's children? Dark-skinned ones?
Those children in Teplice were "gypsies", Arabs and Vietnamese. All children, though, irrespective of their skin color, have the same rights that WE do.
For that reason, I supported the collection called "THEY WANT TO GAS THEM, WE WANT TO SEND THEM TO SCHOOL". I didn't hesitate one second.
Don't miss:
- Romani psychology student who is a ROMEA scholarship winner featured on Czech Television
- Czech Republic: The English College in Prague fundraises for Romani student scholarship
- Czech Republic: Romani high school students receive scholarships at ceremony, sponsors are convinced education is an investment
- Czech Republic: ROMEA awards scholarships to Romani secondary school students
- Czech Republic: Romani scholarship recipients study economics, history, IT, languages and medicine
- Czech Republic: Roma seek scholarships for secondary education, plan to become architects, computer experts, doctors and police
- Czech Human Rights Minister congratulates 30+ recipients of Roma Education Fund scholarships
- International meeting of Roma health scholarship program
- Great Opportunities for Roma: FULL SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
Related articles:
- "Haters Will Not Stop Us!" ROMEA launches campaign to support Romani scholarship program
- Prague Forum for Romani Histories: Joint commemoration of the Jewish and Romani victims of the Holocaust should inspire others
- Terezín Initiative in Czech Republic does not want Romani names included in Shoah commemoration, director of its Institute disagrees
- Czech 2021 Census: Video instructions for the online form available until 9 April, answers to basic questions
- Romani students in the Czech Republic can apply to ROMEA for scholarships in June
- Romani organizations launch campaign about the census that "features" Czech President Zeman
- American author Paul Polansky has passed away
- Czech NGO director tells ombudsman he should resign for refusing to acknowledge discrimination against Roma
- Romani people in the Czech Republic complain to retailers of security guards stalking them when they shop
- "Gypsy King" boxer Tyson Fury tells GQ he once gave his Louboutins to a homeless man in LA, but his giving doesn't stop there
- Best of the Romani musicians program BAŠAVEL in 2020, broadcast online by Czech NGO ROMEA
- During Czech COVID-19 pandemic, NGO distributes more than 80 laptops to Romani students for distance learning
Tags:
Romani people, Stipendia, Students, studyHEADLINE NEWS
