Children's Right to Privacy of Mind

Sor Juana insisted on the sanctity of her inner life—her thoughts, her conscience, her private reflections—as beyond the reach of institutional control. Even confined to a convent, she maintained that her mind was her own. Privacy of mind means children's internal thoughts, beliefs, creative processes, and emotional experiences cannot be monitored or controlled. This right is increasingly threatened by surveillance technology in schools and homes, by mandatory disclosure of thoughts and feelings, by intrusive psychological assessments, and by adults who police children's private expressions. Privacy of mind protects children's right to keep diaries, to have anonymous expressions, to develop beliefs without disclosure, to experience sexuality and gender identity without monitoring, and to have thoughts that contradict what they say publicly for safety. This does not mean children have no accountability or that genuine abuse should go undetected, but rather that children deserve zones of psychological autonomy. Implementation includes limiting surveillance technology, protecting children's communications from adult monitoring except when abuse is suspected, ensuring mental health services are confidential, and creating cultures of trust rather than suspicion. Sor Juana's fierce protection of her inner life demonstrates that the mind is a sanctuary; children need protection of this sacred inner space to develop authentic selves and genuine autonomy.