FIRE in the Library

Andrew from the ACLU club introduces Nico Perrino

On Monday, February 26, the ACLU club brought a speaker in to the library named Nico Perrino from the organization FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) to speak about free speech and the first amendment. Mr. Perrino spoke about issues currently affecting college campuses such as speech codes, free speech zones, and protected speech, but he also answered students' questions about the application of free speech at private schools like Dwight-Englewood. He spoke about the importance of dialogue, particularly for people with opposing viewpoints and declared that "ideas are like muscles - if they are not exercised, you don't always know why you're holding them." 

Nico speaks to the audience about free speech on campus

This library lunchtime talk followed relevantly after an upper school assembly a few weeks ago on deliberative discourse and viewpoint diversity. 


Students or faculty interested in hosting an event in the library in the future should reach out to either Mrs. Shaurette or Mr. Petkus with your ideas.

What Issues Are Important to You?

The debates have come and gone and we are in the final weeks of the election.  Are you still not sure which candidate you support?  Check out The Washington Post, which details a wide-ranging list of issues important to many people. 

What is most important to you?  Stop by the library to vote on what you think is the most critical issue that the candidates should be talking about.  The last day to cast your vote is November 1st and we will announce the results of the issues most essential to the school the following week.

Intellectual Property vs. Free Speech

Two controversial bills attempting to block internet piracy, SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act), have recently come under attack by advocates for free speech.  The White House has released a statement opposing both bills while Wikipedia and several smaller sites will shut down in protest on Wednesday January 18.  Read more about this contentious issues at Politico, The Huffington Post, and The New York Times and check out the actual bills (SOPA, PIPA) on the Library of Congress website.