HMUN @ 7:30a, 1/28/11

I’m in the lobby of 39 Dalton Street in Boston, the cavernous Sheraton Hotel, and while TV screens around me crawl with reminders of the space shuttle Challenger disaster (25 years ago today) and anti-government protesters clashing in Egypt (25 minutes ago today), the vast but sedate space is beginning to wake up with 3000 high school students from the 58^th Session of the Harvard Model United Nations.

For the last few months 15 Derryfield students have prepared for this moment. Specifically, beginning at noon on Thursday and going to Sunday afternoon, our students will represent Bosnia-Herzegovina.

At the opening session last night, keynote speaker Gillian Sorensen (senior advisor at the Model United Nations Foundation) said that since its inception, the United Nations has been a place where realism and idealism meet. Her insight reminded me of my favorite description of the best schools – a place that balances the world that is, and the world that ought to be.

Mrs Sorensen urged the students to embrace an increasingly intertwined world. “Globalization is a reality,” she said. We can’t turn back, and therefore we should lead.”

How relevant is the United Nations? At the moment, she said, it is sheltering over 35 million refugees. At the same time, the UN feeds on average 19 million hungry children every day. The numbers are truly staggering.

* * *

It is now 10am in the Sheraton lobby and well-dressed, focused teenagers using phrases like “unmoderated caucus” or “delegate decorum” walk by. Yesterday’s program ended at 11:45p, and the student’s curfew was 12:30a. Tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) the curfew will also be 12:30a. Our students will get on the bus Sunday with equal parts exhaustion and elation. Through their hard work, preparation and smart presence, they will have represented Derryfield very well.

My gratitude for the Derryfield adult advisors accompanying our students goes beyond words.

Onward to peaceful conflict resolution!

DADT on January 3rd 2011

You’ve heard me describe our All School Assemblies as Derryfield’s classroom for community. We’ve got fields for athletics, we’ve got lovely rooms for arts and academics. One of the essential activities we do in our Auditorium is to come together and consider what makes us a community.

This is our time to talk about a variety of big ideas that impact our school, our community or our planet. Today I want to talk about a big idea that affects our nation, and everyone in it.

I don’t expect that we always agree on how we come down about these big ideas, but I know that we need to discuss them to practice peaceful, respectful, disagreement. Earlier in the year Mrs. Jipson said that we needed provocative ideas to keep our school vital, exciting, alive, and I fully agree.

So here’s the thing, here’s my thoughts, through the lens of someone who studies, even reveres, the constitution of the United States: over break the Senate passed legislation to allow gay people to serve openly in the military, and I think this is a huge moment of progress – particularly for the younger people in the room.

And my hunch is that for many of you this is an old, tired issue that simply feels like a holdover from my generation, not yours – and I hope that you are right, but I still want to think about it with you for a moment.

I wasn’t around in 1954 when Brown V Board was decided – that Supreme Court case declared the separate but equal doctrine dead, and America moved forward in race relations.

I was five years old in 1967 when the Supreme Court ended race-based restrictions on marriage. Before Loving v. Virginia, states could prevent people from different races marrying – after it, they could not.

And over break – on December 22^nd - President Obama repealed Don’t Ask Don’t tell. Here’s a telling quote from the day: “Our people sacrifice a lot for their country -- including their lives. None of them should have to sacrifice their integrity as well."

Following this issue for the last several years I was struck by the idea that what seemed to be the most prevalent arguments against gay people serving were the same arguments again people of color serving . . . Vague concerns about morale and privacy that, to my mind, simply did a poor job of hiding the sense that people of color then, and gay people now, had been thought of as second class citizens.

In fact, every war America has had – whether on our soil or over seas – people of color served honorably. But it was not until 1948 that President Truman signed an executive order integrating the military and mandating equality.

Here’s another quote from December 22^nd 2010 – President Obama speaking:

"Your country needs you, your country wants you, and we will be honored to welcome you into the ranks of the finest military the world has ever known. We are not a nation that says 'Don't ask, don't tell.' We are one that says 'Out of many, one.' "

I think this works for our school, too – in particular as we lift up the values of Character and Community this year.

I’ll try that Obama quote again and just change a few words, as we think about Derryfield’s approach to equality – as we think about issues of race, sexual orientation, disability:

“Your school needs you, your school wants you, and we will be honored to welcome you into one of the finest schools the world knows. We are not a school that says 'Don't ask, don't tell.' We are a school that says 'Out of many, one.' "

Now when we think about these big ideas like equality or discrimination it is pretty easy to feel overwhelmed. What do I think? How do I feel about these issues? Where do I begin?

So I’ll just remind you as we start the new year about a few tools we have –

First – you’ve got family and friends. People who love and care for you.

Second – you’ve got great teachers and coaches. People who want to challenge you, to help you learn and to help you grow.

These big ideas come together to form a third big idea –

You’ve got this amazing experience called a Derryfield education. Everyone in this room has an extraordinary mind, and part of using it well is simply allowing yourself time to think. Think about what matters to you, and how you feel about a variety of big ideas.

So I have put a few big, even historic ideas out there for us this morning.

Before we move on to our Creative Arts Assembly and all the wonder that our alums and our Creative Arts Faculty have prepared for us, lets just take a minute to come together and use one of those tools – that is, the time to think. So let’s start this morning with a minute of silent reflection.

Thanks, and welcome back.