Hi All,
The first month of a school can somehow feel like both a whirlwind of excitement and an interminable grind. It always takes a few weeks to get into the swing of things, although much of life here becomes fairly routine right off the bat.
It is so easy, especially during this time of the year, to become fully absorbed with life at Deerfield, and forget that a world exists beyond Main Street. I urge the community not to fall prey to this stereotype; stay informed on what’s going on outside of these “hallowed halls.”
On a more serious note, I would like to address this new idea of a continuous community dialogue and recent emphasis on getting a moral education at Deerfield, as much as an intellectual or athletic one. I don’t mean to imply that these initiatives have not been goals in the past, but rather that this year they seem even more prominent.
Why such a focus on “doing the right thing?” To what extent do the all-school reading of Justice and Sandel’s performance in the academy event account for the recent explosion of moral discourse? Is it the subject of justice that is motivating the conversation, or simply the appeal of being able to discuss something as a community?
I urge you all to consider these questions and come up with your own opinions.
Many students argue that Deerfield is changing too fast and that the school is losing some of the quintessential elements of tradition that make it such a special place. This is an area in which both communication and an understanding of justice and morality are key.
As Deerfield goes through this process of modernization, sttudents must be able to feel comfortable and confident enough to share their opinions in any setting, so we can collectively explore notions of right and wrong.
The suggestion of getting rid of Accountability Points, which are a fairly ingrained custom and huge part of student life, creates a real scenario in which we can apply our newly developed skills of communication and sense of justice to the Deerfield context.
Finally, I would like to emphasize (as usual) that The Scroll is an open forum of discussion. What better way to instigate dialogue than with a piece of writing that reaches the whole community? I, for one, couldn’t tell you.
Sincerely,
Charlotte Allen
Editor-in-Chief