The Right to Refuse Ignorance

Sor Juana declared 'I have not wanted to be ignorant' despite systemic barriers to women's education and knowledge. This asserts that the right to learn is non-negotiable and deeply connected to worker justice. Employers who keep workers uneducated or uninformed about their rights, contract terms, or industry standards commit injustice. The right to refuse ignorance means workers must have access to labor law education, financial literacy, skill training, and critical information about workplace conditions. It means employers cannot exploit information asymmetries or deliberately withhold knowledge that affects workers' wellbeing. For Sor Juana's tradition, ignorance imposed by institutions is a tool of oppression. Modern applications include mandatory workplace transparency, worker right-to-know laws, accessible union education, and employer obligations to inform workers of hazards, wages, and rights. This concept establishes that informed workers are empowered workers.