Locals go to school to discuss dealing with values in education

By RACHEL HOGAN
Collegian Staff Writer

Daniel Belsky said that because he cares about his education, his classmates consider him a nerd. But he said he doesn't let that bother him too much anymore.

Belsky, a freshman at State College Area High School, said one of the problems of the educational system is "the basic acceptance in our society of lack of respect, violence and unruliness in our adolescent community."

And that is why Belsky woke up at 9 a.m. Saturday to go to school. The freshman shot his arm into the air, ready to speak on every topic at the Public Issues Forum, "Contested Values: Tug-of-war in the School Yard," at the State College Area High School South Building, 650 Westerly Parkway.

The forum, which is affiliated with Kettering Foundation National Issues Forums, aimed to "lead to a public voice" about education, Bob Walker, consultant for the forums, said.

About 115 people -- students, parents, educators and other citizens -- attended the forum. In groups of about 15 people, the attendants discussed the four major schools of thought on how to deal with values in education.

Discussion began with the pluralist perspective that says a single-culture education leads to intolerance among students. Pluralists believe an unbiased teacher should teach students about all cultures.

Likewise, each group was guided by an unbiased mediator. Drew Hyman, a faculty member of agricultural economics and rural sociology, guided one group through a discussion of the pluralist perspective until the group came to an agreement that they could not agree.

"No diversity," one man said, and Belsky shook his head.

"I can't agree with that," Belsky said and covered his eyes with his hand, smirking. "I can't agree," he said, eliciting a smile and a tap on the arm from another group member, who shook his head in agreement.

The pluralists advocate critical thinking and contend their theory will help people overcome biases. Critics say that focusing on diversity detracts from unity.

But Michael Elchisak (junior-secondary education) said he advocates the pluralistic system.

"Up until recently, education was heading toward pluralism. Now we're headed toward a more value-centered or Christian values-centered education," he said, adding that a switch will have a detrimental effect on students in school now.

Choice two -- the "school for virtue" perspective -- calls for a system of core values to be implemented into education. Most people in Hyman's group agreed on that until it had to decide upon core values.

One man said discipline and order were core values, while another feared blind obedience would result from a doctrine of order.

"School for virtue" supporters said they want to correct the poor job that parents, the community, school and the church have been doing to instill values. But critics fear that defining a complete set of core values will eliminate diversity in education.

Christian traditionalists propose to fill that gap with religion. A great majority of Americans subscribe to Judeo-Christian beliefs, the critics say, and to leave them out of education would undermine parents' authority.

One man in Hyman's group said he was wary of this theory because Christian values is a broad term.

"Even if you could agree to teach Christian values, I still don't think you've agreed on very much," he said.

But opponents agree that this country is based on a separation of church and state, and that the nation's forefathers recognized the need for religious freedom. The argument says that imposing Christian values on non-Christians is offensive.

Proponents of parental choice feel they have the comprehensive answer to the complaints of all three choices. They argue schools cannot promote common values and diversity at the same time, and a voucher system would allow parents to determine the type they wanted.

But members of Hyman's group, similar to other critics, fear the system would lead to specialized schools and re-segregation.

And although none of the groups reached a concensus on any of the issues, many expressed their own feelings in a conference at the end of the day.

"Society has ills which are reflected in the schools, not the other way around," one woman said from the back of the room.