University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-1991 Activism, teaching, and moral philosophy. Kenneth W. Grossman University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation Grossman, Kenneth W., "Activism, teaching, and moral philosophy." (1991). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 4766. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/4766 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I ACTIVISM, TEACHING, AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY A Dissertation Presented by KENNETH W. GROSSMAN Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May 1991 School of Education (c)Copyright by Kenneth Walter Grossman 1991 All Rights Reserved ACTIVISM, TEACHING, AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY A Dissertation Presented by KENNETH W. GROSSMAN Approved as to style and content by: j/j\j IS Jfll Gareth B. Matthews, Member Mohammed Zaimaran, Member Marilyn HaringTHido] To Seth Kreisberg, still a member of my committee. To Barney Grossman, my father and chair of my first committee, but For Sadie Blanca, Joseph Winston and Jacob Wayland, my children ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To Robert Wellman my advisor, chair, guru, who held my hand and said: Write! To Holly Grossman, my wife, for whom the exression: "Words cannot express ..." still fails. To Seth Kreisberg, whose own work for social change inspired me. To Mohammed 'Reza' Zaimoran, who was kind enough to join my committee after Seth's death. To Gareth Matthews, who expanded my notion of philosophy. To Earl Seidman, for his advice on conducting interviews. To Kevin, Paul, Sharon, Herb, Linda and Cheryl my participants. To Richard Paquin, Fred Short, Cathy Short, John Hart, Burt Grossman, Susan Nagelson and others for technical advice. To Dan Baker, Jay Lawrie and Mari Patkelly, my trainers. To MaryAnn Wolff, Ann Ferguson, Gerald Weinstein, Phillip Eddy, Robert Smith, Susan Siegal, Virginia Morissette, Elys Cann, and other students and teachers at the University of Massachusetts who shared collective visions for a better world. v ABSTRACT ACTIVISM, TEACHING AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY MAY 1991 KENNETH GROSSMAN B.A. STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO Ed. D. UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS Directed by: Professor Robert R. Wellman I suggested that some of the world's troubles may be relieved if social change is driven by activism which is informed by moral philosophy. Teachers who are social activists may illustrate a way to ground their work as both teachers and activists in reflection which provides clarification of assumptions and a moral basis for social action. They might also show a way to cope with criticism of activism as mindless or dangerous as well as criticism of moral education and controversial issues education as biased or lacking in objectivity. I interviewed six teachers of science or social studies who are social activists outside the classroom. Their concerns included feminism, environmentalism, politics, community, racism, abortion, violence, poverty, prolife and nuclear issues. I discussed with them their lives, work and thinking and found a wide range of experiences and views. Yet all their views fit in the range of views described by philosophers as teleological (consequence-based) or deontological (rule-based). They were also philosophical in their own right. I concluded that the moral basis of their activist and classroom work justified disclosure of their views to students, and sets their work as a model for the encouragement of student and citizen activism in the 'real world'. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.v ABSTRACT..vi Chapter I INTRODUCTION: WHY I WANT TO STUDY ACTIVIST TEACHERS.1 A Troubled Wo rid.1 Activism and Education.3 Talking with Activist Teachers.6 A Preview..11 n A SELECTED LOOK AT SOME RECENT LITERATURE.13 Objectivity and Bias; Indoctrination and Politicizing.13 Reflectivity, Philosophy and Moral Thought.20 Activism and Philosophical Discussion.24 in ACTIVISM AND PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION.36 Activists and Activism.36 The Philosophical Dimension in Activism. 41 IV THE LIVES, WORK AND THINKING OF SIX ACTIVIST TEACHERS.52 Kevin: Political Party Activist.52 Paul: Environmentalist.69 Sharon: Community Organizer..81 Herb: Protester to Town Selectman.98 Linda: Prolife Spokesperson.112 Cheryl: More Than a Feminist.128 1 V ACTIVISM AND TEACHING.145 Range of Respondent Activism.146 Teaching of Respondents on Issues of Concern.148 Personal Aspects.153 VI ACTIVISTS AS PHILOSOPHERS.159 Reflective Moral Theory..161 Concrete Reality..173 VD ACTIVISM IN THE CLASSROOM: A MODEL.176 Moral Education.176 Activist Teaching.179 Citizen Action Program.190 VEI THE VALUE OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY IN ACTIVISM AND TEACHING.. 191 Reflective Practices and Activism in the Classroom.191 Value of Using Ideas in Teaching for Social Change. 200 Summary of Dissertation.202 APPENDIX: INTERVIEW FORMAT..209 BIBLIOGRAPHY..211 vm \ CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: WHY I WANT TO STUDY ACTIVIST TEACHERS "My life is more than my work; my work is more than my job" Charlie King, an activist A Troubled World We live in a troubled world. There is hunger, disease, crime, violence, war, greed, cruelty, oppression and unnecessary killing. These are suffered by human beings as well as by other living things and even the planet itself. There is intolerance of a myriad of differences which race, religion, class, lifestyle, age, and gender only begin to describe. Many of the world's troubles seem to be either of human origin or capable of human amelioration or both. So much is cliche. But it is my view and the view of others that it does not have to be like this. What is at the root of our troubles and what may be the way to mend our troubles? Many of the world's troubles seem to stem from failure to consider and reflect on the policies and procedures of individuals, groups, cultures, nations, and humanity at large. Some troubles stem from considering and reflecting too narrowly. Individuals fail to consider even family and community needs. Communities fail to consider the needs of other communities, cultures, nations, and even humanity fails to consider the importance of other life forms on the planet or of the living community of which both humans and other organisms are a part. With respect to these two areas it is facile to suggest a renewed effort to reflect, to consider, to study, to plan and to do so in a way that is less parochial. Perhaps to do so from a moral point of view. I 2 Yet I say such a suggestion is facile, (though I agree with it) because matters are a bit more complex. There are troubles that do not fit so neatly in this scheme. Some are troubles that have been well considered and reflected upon, but have not as yet been well acted upon. So some issues are less ’controversial' than others in a way. Sometimes it seems that hardly anyone in our society (who reflects) still thinks either environmental degradation or racism is a good thing any more. So we do not even blink when everyone from McDonald's to our child's sixth grade class is working for social change on such issues. Yet what requires more consideration here is the urgency of the quest and the strategies and tactics necessary and appropriate for the tasks at hand. Some are troubles that have been well considered and reflected upon, but have not as yet been well acted upon. What is controversial may be tactics and strategies, rather than broad goals. So we all support ecology, but few support spiking timber, many are unwilling to part even with foam cups. In moral terms, the values may not be in dispute, but the obligations may. Sometimes what is required is the commitment and the means to extend the level and depth of activity directed towards change. Other issues are also well-considered, but seem infinitely more vexing. It is not that some issues, like abortion and war, could not stand further consideration or that some approaches to them are narrow, parochial or selfish. It is rather that even with a great deal of discussion and discourse, both theoretical and practical solutions seem to evade consensus. Unfortunately, I think, the polarization created on such issues seems counterproductive in its setting up of avoidance behaviors, and in diverting energy from prosocial gains that could perhaps be synergistic. Sometimes partisans have difficulty in even engaging each other on such issues, let alone seeking common ground. We either preach to the converted or we posture against adversaries in order to appeal to the gallery. The upshot is that both sides become uncomfortable about thinking with others or taking even tentative steps to try out solutions. [Tribe, 1990] [Belenky, 1986]. I 3 Activism and Education So it will never do, I think merely to urge further study and reflection and consideration of the worlds's woes, even if moral parameters are included. We must also take on the realization that change includes doing something, taking action. Such action may be tentative or militant. It may involve further talk with or appeal to others. It may involve changing the persons who hold power or changing the very structure of power relations. It involves ’activism'. I want to maintain that activism is generated by knowledge, thoughts and beliefs. It is not, generally, mindless. I want also to argue that it is the existence of ideas as the basis for activism that justify and legitimate it. This can, perhaps, be illustrated by the activities of teachers who are also activists, since as teachers their ideas are stock in trade.