Though I agree with much that Sandy says (and especially join in his
Happy Thanksgiving wishes), I wonder whether the item below involves the
tailing wagging the dog a bit. Many virtues that we inculcate in schools are
only presumptive virtues, that sometimes must be set aside in favor of other
virtues. That's true of honesty. (You might have to lie to the Nazi who comes
to ask whether you're hiding Jews in your home.) It's true of solving problems
in non-violent ways. (You might need to use deadly force in self-defense, or
fight in a war to protect your country.) That's also true of following the
law, and using law-abiding means to try to change laws you disapprove of. Yet
it seems to me that it's good to teach such virtues, and have disciplinary or
monitoring measures that help reinforce the virtues, even though we recognize
that in rare circumstances such virtues need to yield to other concerns.
Eugene
Sandy Levinson writes:
> Also, I'm not sure we want to create citizens who believe their dty is to
> "comply
> with [all] legally enacted rules," nor do I "certainly want minor students
> who so
> comply." Perhaps I'm influenced by the terrific book written by my wife
> Cynthia (on four "best of 2012 lists so far," re non-fiction books for
> children),
> We've Got a Job: The 1963 Children's March in Birmingham, which details the
> remarkable decision by minor students to take on Bull Connor's cops and, as a
> result, to revive a wavering Civil Rights Movement by encouraging John
> Kennedy finally to commit himself on civil rights. No "unruly children," no
> Civil
> Rights Act of 1964. It's not quite that simple, but the assumption of agency
> by
> the children, who were not really encouraged to march by their parents or by
> Dr. King, was literally an historic act.
>
> A Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
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