How do I know if my child's school is respecting their fundamental rights?

This is something Sor Juana understood intimately—the right to learn, to question, to become yourself. Start by noticing the everyday: Are your child's questions welcomed or shut down? Do they have space to think differently? A rights-respecting school doesn't just follow rules; it treats intellectual curiosity as sacred. Look for: teachers who listen to what your child actually thinks, not just what they can regurgitate; policies that protect privacy and dignity; spaces where mistakes are learning, not shame. Check whether the school actively involves students in decisions affecting them—real involvement, not just a checkbox. If your child comes home afraid to speak up, or if their identity (race, gender expression, disability, family structure) seems invisible in the curriculum, that's worth exploring. You might ask the principal directly: "How does this school protect intellectual freedom?" Their answer—and how they answer—tells you a lot. Trust your instinct. You know your child. You're not being paranoid by asking these questions.