Palmer Trinity School

IF W E A RE W IL L ING TO TA L K A BOU T POL ITIC S A ND S TEER PEOPL E TOWA RD PRODUC TI V E DISCUS SIONS A ND DECISIONS, W E C A N HEL P DO OUR PA R T TO PROMOTE A MORE V IR T UOUS SOCIE T Y. SEAN FOREMAN, HISTORY DEPARTMENT Most people just want to be heard. From the boardroom to the courtroom to the classroom–and even at home in the bedroom–be sure to allow people to speak, whether your children or your peers, and help them to feel that you hear what they had to say. And then you can also respond more appropriately if you truly know more about the other person's intentions. It's an overused but essential observation that Benjamin Franklin said that they had created a republic at the Constitutional Convention, but it was up to the people to keep it. What is less discussed is that what Franklin truly meant is that citizens must have virtue and act virtuously to each other in support of the republic, which embodies the public good. Indeed, the PTS mission is to promote virtue, humanity, and spirit in our students. Our civic actions must be guided by love and a shared purpose in life. This is one reason why we launched the Junto political discussion group at PTS this year. Junto refers to a small group of people who assemble for political purposes. The name pays homage to Franklin and the group of friends he assembled to discuss morals, politics, natural philosophy, and business opportunities in meetings meant to stimulate mutual improvement. Franklin's junto group was officially named the Leather Apron Club and met on Friday evenings. Our lunchtime meetings have brought two dozen students from both middle school and upper school together into open discussions about politics, policies, elections, ideologies and more. Moderated by history teachers Aldo Regalado, Sarah Kemper, and Sean Foreman, the group met throughout the 2024-25 school year and had constructive and productive conversations. Junto plans to become an active student club with additional meetings, hosting speakers, and getting involved in the community, and welcomes more students and staff to get involved. Overall, we need to teach more civics in our community and in the country. People require basic knowledge, especially as teens and future voters. They also need civility. We must put the 'civil' back in civilization. We should listen more and argue less, cooperate more and obstruct less, and reach common decisions more and have less gridlock. OTHER WAYS FOR S TUDENT S TO GE T INVOLVED They can join other clubs or the student government. They can participate in volunteer opportunities to gain service hours but also valuable personal experience. They can take advantage of travel and service opportunities and enrich their perspectives. They can attend community events like candidate forums and town hall meetings They can read, watch, or listen to the news and seek out additional sources of information. 37

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