Comments on: My Idea Of Social Justice

By: justicefish

justicefish — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:04:45 +0000

Good article, and, at least from my perspective, very close to my own experiences at Swarthmore. I’m a (conservative) senior there and tend to see many brilliant minds focusing not on the realties of how to make the world better but rather, as you noted, concentrating on “a radicalized search for self, identity and meaning. ” Even more so, I’ve tended to find that many my fellow students are openly disdainful of those who do not delve into this search for self and are outright hostile to those that question the necessity of the extreme focus on it. I’m both disheartened to find that this sentiment is more pervasive than just Swarthmore and glad to find people that are standing up to challenge it! Kudos!

By: ModerateGal

ModerateGal — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:06:49 +0000

Oh yes, Thomas, I am sure that at 24 you are wiser than any of us ever will be.

By: thomasgibbon

thomasgibbon — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:02:57 +0000

Govt program can never substitute adequately for common sense, Moderate Gal. My “narrow focus” has been sharpened by teaching in one of the schools that others on the web and in politics sit and hypothesize about all day.

By: ModerateGal

ModerateGal — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:15:31 +0000

Thomas, I fail to see where the current rightwing stances (that conservatism has given itself over to lately) of “just say no” and abstinence-only education will be helpful in your attempts. — Actually now that I know that you are only 24 years old, it gives me a better understanding of you and your views. That is not meant as a disparagement. I admire the work that you do, but your writings do tend to show things through a narrow focus.

By: thomasgibbon

thomasgibbon — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:00:05 +0000

Sepp, you’re right.
I’m interested in ideas for dealing with these problems too. For starters and I’m gonna be brief, vouchers: We make a big deal of the great voucher program in D.C. – it is successful, yes. But it only helps 1700 kids. I’m interested in those kids at Ballou and Eleanor Roosevelt H.S. – - the kids in gangs, selling drugs, dropping out, having children, in foster care…How do we help those kids through conservative policy? It’s not an option to just blow up the schools! This problem is urgent – in fact, the bell rings in about 45 minutes.

By: Sepp

Sepp — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:40:57 +0000

Which specific policies aren’t mixing with reality? Perhaps that’s a good place to start. Like you, I’m a professional educator working at it day after day. I know how hard it is; that’s why I’m interested in ideas for dealing with these problems.

By: thomasgibbon

thomasgibbon — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:44:16 +0000

Sepp. I’m 24 years old. I’m thinking – just starting my career. I’m not spending day and night at CPAC conferences trying to pretend I know policy. I don’t claim to have policy solutions, but the ones we’re being offered don’t mix with the reality I’ve lived and will continue to because I know what’s at stake in the schools. It’s starts with getting some values in our schools. Perhaps it’s as simple as that – getting people who care about saving the schools and our values and believing that it can be done the old fashioned way – working at it day after day after day no matter how bad it gets. What about you?

By: Sepp

Sepp — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:29:52 +0000

Thanks for replying, Tom. Regarding your replies to both me and ModerateGal, why then aren’t your posts focusing on how the application of conservative philosophy can help these schools?

By: thomasgibbon

thomasgibbon — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:20:21 +0000

ModerateGal – - all due respect, but moderation isn’t going to fix these schools or help my kids. Radicalism, in the form of conservative values, common sense and judgement, will.

By: thomasgibbon

thomasgibbon — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:36:05 +0000

Thanks for reading, Sepp. Please never sympathize with me. Good Lord, that’s the last thing I need. It’s about the kids. I’m just amazed at how much there is to learn here.