Somewhat apropos to the thread discussing whether students at Exeter are free to express opinions that dissent from the majority view or from teachers’ opinions…
Yesterday at Mercersburg Academy, classes were cancelled so that students could spend the day in what were termed “courageous conversations” about difficult topics. The head of school opened the day with a meeting in the chapel, and the day concluded - again in the chapel - in the style of a Quaker meeting for worship. These were the topics discussed during the day (students chose which group to participate in):
Climate change
Education system
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Gender issues
Health care
Immigration
LGBTQ issues
Natural disaster relief efforts
North Korea
Opioid crisis
Political divide
Race relations
Refugee crises
Right to bear arms
I haven’t talked to my son about it yet, but my daughter (who participated in the freedom of speech group) found it to be a very productive exercise.
Yes, DS liked it very much (he also really liked the break from class, since Long Fall Weekend has been pushed to the end of October, it’s a long stretch of work and stress before the first break…but I digress). He did “race relations” and found the discussion to be honest, challenging and respectful. A nice move by the new HoS.
That sounds like a very well spent day! And even more so after reading the article and student comments. That sounds like exactly the type of activity and discussions these schools (that have the flexibility in their curricula to take a day like this) should be conducting.
Reading the comments, it appears the forum was very worthwhile to students and raised consciousness. What would be even better is for one action item to come out of each topic to help solve the problem that one could do both individually and or collectively.
NMH uses a similar format 2x a year - a full academic day of workshops and panels devoted to “diversity” Many are student led and students are trained to facilitate these complicated conversations. Diversity conmittee members who serve all year are selected by both students and faculty who interview each candidate and review their applications.
My DS actually told me about a similar exercise they did at his school, although the entire school participated in one topic and they had the varying degree of opinions represented. They called it the “Fishbowl”. He said it was so refreshing to have kids who had put a lot of thought and research into their positions and could discuss the subject intelligently and eloquently. He said at the end of the exercise, you may still not agree with others, but you respected them for their positions because of the educated manner in which they were formed and expressed.
Back at home, we thought it sounded like a great experience!