While this column is not directly related to education, I felt compelled to share it for many reasons. It seems to me as logical and compelling a case for the urgency of civility as I have come across. It also, unintentionally, touches on some of the core elements of Quaker philosophy and Quaker education. Quakers believe that each person has within him or her some piece of the truth. For that reason, Quakers (and Quaker schools) place a premium on providing a forum in which all voices can be heard, listened to, respected, and incorporated. When our public life as a nation is at its best, this is exactly what happens; ideas are shared and discussed, and we incorporate the best thinking of everyone involved as we move forward. In the classroom, this approach to learning means that the exchange of knowledge is a two-way street; teachers gain understanding from their students as well as vice versa, and all come away more enlightened.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/opinion/14brooks.html?_r=1&ref=davidbrooks
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