POULSBO — Human rights should be universal.

In the world unfortunately, sometimes they are not.

But in the comfort of Dr. Gail Davis’ fourth and fifth grade classroom at Breidablik Elementary school, with the help of Spectrum instructor Phil Davis’ human rights group, the idea behind those liberties have bridged an age gap.

“Bullies love power and control,” Breidablik fourth-grader Sean Phillips said March 28 as his class met with Spectrun students. “If they didn’t know any better, they’d probably stick their finger in a 50,000-volt power circuit.”

“Who do you think has more power, one person or a whole class who signs a declaration and reminds each other to follow it?” Phil Davis asked.

Both Spectrum — as a school — and Dr. Davis’ fourth and fifth graders — as a class — have written a bill of students’ rights. Created in 1999 and 2003 respectively, each bill sets ground rules that should apply to all, while allowing for amendments to be made down the line.

Breidablik’s includes freedom from fighting, name-calling, teasing, hurtful gossip and theft. Spectrum’s includes students’ rights to express themselves freely, learn according to individual pace and style, participate in school decisions and question school authority.

Each emphasizes respect for one another.

Last Wednesday, five of the nine Spectrum Ravens who will be flying to Tlaxcala, Mexico April 6 for their annual human rights retreat to visit friends in Tlaxcala met with the Breidablik class. Sitting in a circle, the group conversed about personal liberty as well as the Spectrum delegates’ experience with Mexican culture.

Dr. Davis said her fourth and fifth grade class has been studying multiculturalism for the past few weeks. The Spectrum group will live it intimately for 10 days.

“The reason we go is to visit a group of people and share ideas with them,” Spectrum junior Daniel Forrester said. “We did do some of the tourist things as well, but the main part was to communicate and share ideas.”

“And we made some new friends,” Phil Davis said.

Dr. Davis’ class is also in the process of making some friends across the border as the Spectrum human rights group will be taking a stack of the elementary schoolers’ letters to a small school in Soledad.

And along with those letters, the Breidablik students included some extra resources.

“We’ve put out flyers all around the school (for a school supply drive) and, over there, we’ve collected 276 items for them,” co-organizer student Sierra Halsted said, pointing to four boxes.

Phil Davis and the Ravens will take those boxes as well to the barren city located near the center of the country. The Ravens will return April 16 to share their stories with North Kitsap.