Choice: For Shareholders or Stakeholders?
Deborah Meier writes again to Robert Pondiscio of Democracy Prep.
Dear Robert,
We agree again—in defense of messiness!
I quote from a wonderful article by one of my favorite teachers, the late Alice Seletsky: "What I like about teaching is that there are no easy answers—to anything. Even after 25 years I have to keep wondering, tinkering, changing my mind, learning ... ."
So too with democracy, and so too with political beliefs and strategies. Preparing children for just such a messy world is part of what a good education is about. So it too must—be messy.
By the way, while the headline of my last letter wasn't mine, it's not far off the mark. The freedom to walk away—which is what leads me to sit by the aisle—is important. We both treasure it. But I see it as one of the essential side effects of a democratic society. Historically, only a few people have had such freedoms. Except in the sense of that old Parisian aphorism: Everyone has the freedom to sleep under the bridge! (or, "Let them eat cake.") In short, we don't all have the freedom to sleep in our own room, not to mention a refrigerator full of what we most love. Or to know our children are