\olume 31. Issue 6 November 18. 1994
South wordS
Maine South H.S. Park Ridge, IL
Feichter and "civic education" by Alison Adlaf A Maine South social science teacher traveled lo Washington, D.C. to address a group of over 100 V.I.P. dignitaries, including U.S. Supreme Court Justices. Mr. Patton Feichter spoke on the importance of "civil education." He gave the speech as a member of the National Standards Committee. He is the only high school teacher on the committee. The group that assembled in the U.S. Supreme Court on Tues., Nov. 15 also included members of Congress, presidents of national education associations and textbook publishers. Also present were White House staff, including William Gaston, special assistant to the President and Richard Riley, Secretary of Education. During George Bush's presidency. Congress initiated a program called "Goals 2000," aimed at upgrading national education standards in core subject areas such as
government, history, math and science. President Qinton is continuing this program, which is funded by the Department of Education and the PEW charitable trust. Feichter has been a member of the National Standards Committee for two years since its introduction. The speech will formally present to the department of education a different approach to teaching government. Feichter's "civil education" approach means teaching government not only on a stricUy factual basis, but also placing an emphasis on how to be a good citizen and the rules and responsibilities that face citizens in society today. Mr. Feichter offers an example: "We all say, 'with liberty and justice for all' or quote 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,' but do we know what [Uiey] really mean?" He hopes to change standards across the country so that these phrases will be more than just familiar; they will be understood.
Crime strikes close to liome apprehended and charged with criminal defacement of property and criminal damage to property. The th ird.a 16-year-old,petitioned into Juvenile Court for criminal defacement of property. Bond for Palm was set at S50,000; for Olinski, 375,000. The discrepancy in bond amounts was due in part to the fact that Olinski is a suspect in additional incidents of criminal damage at Maine South earlier this year that involved several broken faucets. Both men were scheduled to appear in court for their initial hearing on Nov. 14 at the Second District Municipal Court in Skokie. The school records of all students are priOther recent arrests centered around the vate and information on further disciplinary graffitti spray-painted on the A-wing were action on the part of Maine Township is not available. |de October 15 and 24. Readers are reminded that an arrest by 'According to the Park Ridge Times Herald, senior Brian Palm was apprehended and police and thefilingof charges does not concharged with criminal defacement of prop- stitute guilt Only the courts can make that erty. Another senior, Matthew Olinski, was determination. by Heather Anichini Several Maine South students were arrested in the past month for allegedly committing criminal acts in and around the high school. The arrests began in early October when senior Pat Gill was taken into custody for charges of credit card theft and battery. He allegedly obtained the credit card of a teacher at Maine South and attempted to make a purchase. According to reports in the local newspapers, when he realized he had been caught, his attempt to keep an employee from preventing his escape resulted in violence.