Justice offers some keen reading and an innovative online course

At a bookstore today, I stumbled upon a book called Justice: What’s the Right Thing to do? by Michael J. Sandel. I was first drawn in by the word “justice” on the cover, and on closer examination by the faces contained in the letters. Given my line of work in my day job, this book demanded closer examination. Which brought me to the inside jacket:

What are our obligations to others as people in a free society? Should government tax the rich to help the poor? Is the free market fair? Is it sometimes wrong to tell the truth? Is killing sometimes morally required? Is it possible, or desirable, to legislate morality? Do individual rights and the common good conflict?

Great questions, indeed. Upon further examination, we learn that the author is a Harvard professor who teaches a course called “Justice” at Harvard University. In the course, up to a thousand students pack the campus theater to hear Sandel relate the big questions of political philosophy to the most vexing issues of the day. Affirmative action, same-sex marriage, physician-assisted suicide, abortion, national service, patriotism and dissent, the moral limits of markets—Sandel dramatizes the challenge of thinking through these conflicts, and shows how a surer grasp of philosophy can help us make sense of politics, morality, and our own convictions as well.

The book led me to a website (http://www.justiceharvard.org) which contains a rather innovative online course covering these great questions. In the online course, Harvard opens its classroom to the world that helps viewers become more critically minded thinkers about the moral decisions we all face in our everyday lives. And it further introduces us to some of the fascinating aspects of technology in education. It demonstrates how classrooms can go beyond the four corners of a building, and how web 2.0 tools can lead to engaging and thoughtful discussions for an unlimited audience. And it points to yet another wave in teaching and learning, things we continue to explore in the Franklin school system.

For a glimpse of what the Justice course offers, check out the video posted below. And take advantage of this course offering and see what technology can do for your mind.

First Annual Jenna Pasquino Memorial Foundation Golf Tournament

The Jenna Pasquino Memorial Foundation was started in 2009. The Foundation’s goal is to sponsor activities and programs such as scholarships to graduating seniors and charitable community organizations.

Jenna passed away this past April 30th in a motor vehicle accident in Bellingham MA and was taken from us at the young age of 20. Jenna was very involved in the community in Franklin where she lived, was a student in the Franklin Public Schools, and had many friends and family in town and also in the neighboring area.

Its first fundraiser is an annual golf tournament, with the proceeds going to a scholarship fund. This year it will be held on Saturday, October 17th at the Blissful Meadows Golf Club on Chockalog Rd in Uxbridge with tee off promptly at 8:00am. It will be 18 holes, followed by dinner, awards and a raffle. The cost is $125 per golfer. Any non-golfers are welcome to join the foundation for dinner at 1:00 pm, after the tournament at a cost of $30.

The Foundation is looking for tee and green sponsors, goodie bag items and/or gift certificates for services, meals, etc. or items that it can use for our raffle for the tournament.

The sponsor fee is $100 and your business name will appear on an individual sign at one of the holes for the entire tournament. It will also be publicized in the program given to each golfer, along with the list of all contributors. This is a great opportunity for you to get exposure for your business as well as supporting a very worthwhile cause.

We are included a sponsorship form/golfer’s registration form below for your convenience. If you would like to be a sponsor, and/or are interested in playing in the tournament, please fill out the enclosed forms and mail them back with your check to the Jenna Pasquino Memorial Foundation, c/o Erin Donahue, 30 Mill River St, Blackstone, MA 01504 . You can either create your own team or we will be putting together teams for individual registrants. Please respond ASAP so that you will be guaranteed a spot.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact one of the following organizers:

Erin Donahue at (508)641-5074

Andrew Spas at (401)330-6439

Dave Boyan at (508)579-2750

Kelley Byrnes-Benkart at (508)245-2336

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Jenifer Fox: Obama is Right, Developing Talent is Key in Education

I thought this was an interesting post and comment on the President’s speech to students and thus have posted a link using ShareThis.

Jenifer Fox: Obama is Right, Developing Talent is Key in Education

Here’s an excerpt, but click on the link to read the entire post:

President Obama implored school children to take responsibility for their own educations. He said, “I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.”

Mr. President is right. Once children know their own strengths and talents and understand how to put them to use, they can create their futures. Schools are very good at teaching children about their weaknesses and helping them see what they cannot do and what they do not know. We are far less skilled at teaching students to understand what they love to do. This should be the nation’s educational charge.

President’s address to students

At noon on Tuesday, September 8th, President Barack Obama will be welcoming America’s students back to school. The President has spoken often about the responsibility parents have for their children and their education, but in this message he’ll urge students to take personal responsibility for their own education, to set goals, and to not only stay in school but make the most of it.

To help make sure as many school districts, classrooms, and students are able to get this message the President has launched a resources page where you can find out almost anything you’d want to know. You can view the resources page by clicking here. There’s information on how you can watch it on TV or on the internet, classroom activities that teachers can engage their students in around the speech, even the satellite coordinates for school districts that want to access the feed.

The President’s address has certainly generated a lot of buzz in the nation and in Franklin. A number of calls and e-mails have been received relative to the President’s address over the last several days. Indeed, you may have read about the controversy in today’s Milford Daily News (click here). Here is how the matter is being handled in the Franklin Public Schools:

• Grades K-5 — Principals have told teachers they have discretion to view on computers. If teachers plan to use the speech in class, they need to inform parents and offer an opt out.
• Grades 6-8 — At this time they are all planning to use the speech as an opportunity to work with students to establish expectations and set goals. The Principals will inform parents thru Connect Ed and offer an opt out.
• Grades 9-12 — Teacher discretion and offer an opt out.

From a pure policy perspective guest speakers are governed by School Committee policy IJOB, which reads as follows: “Resource persons are those individuals or groups who are invited into the schools to present supplementary information and ideas to the classroom course of study. These experiences afford students the opportunity to benefit from community viewpoints. Care should be taken in selecting these speakers so that they are individuals who respect diversity in thinking and varying views and who are not attempting to inappropriately influence points of view.” Some of the other policies of interest to this discussion include the following (click on the link to view the full text of the policy):

• Academic freedom
• Teaching activities/presentations
• Teaching about controversial issues/controversial speakers

The process being followed in the Franklin Public Schools relative to the President’s speech on Tuesday is clearly in line with these policies.

This is not the first time that a President has directly addressed school students. You can view Ronald Reagan’s address to students from 1988 by clicking here. You can view the text of George H.W. Bush’s speech to students in 1991 by clicking here.

From a purely personal standpoint, I am delighted to see that the President is reaching out to students in such a meaningful way. While I am not generally in favor of too much federal involvement in local school districts (see my post on that topic by clicking here), I believe that giving students a meaningful opportunity to hear from a President who is great speaker and leader, is laudable. I can recall being inspired as a youth by a speech of President John F. Kennedy and his call for public service. It’s something I remember to this day, and it is my hope that President Obama will touch students in a similar fashion. It may even spark greater interest in government and public service, and re-stoke the flame of liberty. To that end, let’s encourage our youth to listen in on Tuesday, or during the replays which will no doubt be available on-line.

You can view an advance copy of the text of the speech by clicking here.