2007 Middle School Day

START THE PRESSES

For the first time CFAR and co-sponsor the Greater Hartford Magnet Middle School limited attendees to the 2007 Middle School Day to only 60 students instead of the usual 240 students. While we missed having all the students we were very pleased with the involvement, activities and interest of the 60 that did attend. The morning opened with Ms Debra Avery of the Magnet School welcoming everyone to the spacious Trinity College Vernon Social Hall and introducing CFAR reporter hats, and a variety of other materials and facts for the forth-coming program.centered on the First Amendment's protection of freedom of the press. Ms. Avery introduce Lynn Tuohy, Legal Reporter of the Hartord Courant who spoke about the importance of the press, issues facing reporters and concerns of the press. She and two Trinity student mentors and Ms Avery then moved around the room to each table where students were discussing issues, especially possible editorial issues which the students were writing. After talking with each group the experts made themselves available to help students when they need it, the editorials were written, the second issue of the Magnet School's newly founded newspaper was distributed and a stimulating and educational morning was had by all.

2006 Middle School Day

FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS – YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND
TOMORROW– A CFAR MIDDLE SCHOOL DAY.

At nine o'clock on Friday morning, February 17th, in the Vernon Social Center at Trinity College, 240 seventh graders from the Hartford Magnet Middle School and from Milford were taken on a time voyage back to the late 1850's, and they met two visitors from that time.

They sat at tables of ten, note pads before them, and they were asked to imagine themselves northern newspaper reporters being addressed by Josiah Calhoun, a southern slave owner. Mr. Calhoun, played in costume masterfully by Mark Flaherty, a Hartford Magnet School math teacher, walked around the room extolling the benefits of slavery to the southern economy, to the northern economy as well, and to the slaves themselves. He supported his arguments with quotations from the Bible and other writings. He insisted that the slaves were well treated, considerably better off than they would have been if still in Africa , and all in all made a pretty convincing case.

When he finished, the students – in their roles as reporters from the North – questioned him, and he answered them, always remaining in character. About twenty questions were asked, and he answered them continuing to maintain his arguments.

When he was finished, the students were asked to switch gears, and now imagine themselves a group of southern reporters being addressed by Susan Beecher, an ardent northern abolitionist. Debra Avery, a Magnet School Social Studies teacher, who indeed was primarily responsible for conceiving and developing this program, played the part of Ms. Beecher – also in costume – and for twenty minutes or so walked about the room delivering a passionate abolitionist plea.

Her performance, too, was followed by questions from the “southern journalists,” and those questions were answered by Ms. Beecher, staying in character as well.

What a wonderful experience! Not only did those 240 seventh graders learn a lot of history, but they were challenged to exercise their minds and look at an issue from both sides. A stretch? Sure. But they made it, and learned much from the experience.

Act II of the morning's program was provided by Quinnipiac Law Professor Marty Margulies, who spoke to the students about his own experiences defending the First Amendment rights of students in Connecticut , and about what rights they had – and what rights they didn't.

Act III was a presentation about human rights throughout the world, and featured a Trinity visiting professor from Zimbabwe , Augustine Hungwe.

Many questions were asked of Professors Margulies and Hungwe by an enthusiastic and involved student audience, and an exciting and most worthwhile morning came to an end.