2021 Speaker Series Inspires Thoughtful Discussions About Racism, Politics and Social Media
During the Winter Term and into the spring, the 2021 Speaker Series tackled a range of difficult and timely subjects, from racism and anti-Semitism to the role of social media, the American presidency and economic policy. This year’s series took on even greater importance in the context of current events, including the Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd, and the 2020 election and its aftermath. “One of our commitments as a school is to create a place where we all, as adults and students, can learn and inquire about politics and citizenship and policy,” Head of School Peter Becker said at School Meeting on January 7, the day after a violent mob stormed the United States Capitol. “I do think we have to connect — as we think about and ponder these things — our own individual character development to this question of what it means to be a citizen.” The Speaker Series highlighted that our school is an inclusive place, present where we are, but with a global outlook. Through these presentations, students could see compassion, real viewpoint diversity, respect for everyone’s common humanity, and belonging. They were encouraged to listen to differing perspectives, and to participate in faculty-led discussions about the issues, setting aside stereotypes. “Learning to navigate a pluralistic, complex world filled with different people and ideas is vital to what we see as our core mission as a school, preparing students to be active citizens in the world,” Becker said.
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The Frederick Gunn School Bulletin
Uprooting anti-Jewish hate On January 14, Eric Ward, a longtime civil rights strategist, spoke about the history of anti-Semitism and its resurgence. The Executive Director of the Western States Center and a Senior Fellow with the Southern Poverty Law Center and Race Forward, Ward is a nationally recognized expert on the relationship between authoritarian movements, hate violence, and preserving inclusive democracy. “What’s unique about anti-Semitism is that it’s not a religious form of anti-Jewish bigotry. It is Eric Ward, civil rights strategist one which makes Jews a racialized other, where they are seen as another race, similar to the racism that African Americans, Latinos, and others experience. I often liken it, too, to
