Opinion ESSAY From News of the World

The Allendale Columbia School Forum program is an event in which each grade in the Upper School participates. Loosely described, the Forum is a presentation in which five members of the grade present the history and current viewpoints of a contemporary issue and then respond to questions from the audience. Importantly, the Forum is not a debate. The Forum program was established by the headmistress of the Columbia school, Mrs. Della Simpson, in 1946 to help students practice making arguments about current and sensitive issues. The Forum has covered many highly controversial topics in the past, including abortion, gun rights, LGBTQ+ issues, immigration, politics, teenage suicide, foreign policy, and policing. Due to its long-standing history with controversial topics, the Forum is thought of as a place to address difficult issues and is seen as an opportunity where students can expand the boundaries of what can be discussed in school.

The Freshman Forum has always been the last Forum of the year. Teachers have seen how their youngest students have grown, and it is always interesting to see the blossoming thoughts of this particular group. This year, our freshmen’s voices were silenced by an outcry from the community, which stated that the Forum topic was questioning the identity of a group of students. Although the freshmen were no longer allowed to present their work in front of the Upper School, they still shared their views about the cancellation of the Forum and the disposal of their hard work. One student commented, “The Forum being canceled was frustrating because we put in all the hard work and then it didn’t happen.” Another stated, “They should have looked more into the topic before we finished the project.” There seemed to be a general agreement among the freshmen that all of their efforts were thrown out abruptly, very close to the Forum date.

With the cancellation of the Freshman Forum and the ever-increasing political divide in the nation, there are multiple paths we can take for future Forums. To maximize respect, creativity, and individuality, we have created a blueprint for how Allendale Columbia could choose to proceed in the future. The purpose of the Forum is to teach students about civil discourse, to develop the ability to argue for opinions with which they do not agree, to practice research and writing skills, to engage in civil discussion with other participants, and to provide the opportunity to reflect on their own opinions. With the help of an adviser, Forum topics are to be decided by students who choose to attend the interest meeting. We propose that the school shall not interfere with the Forum unless it is in clear violation of any of the following requirements:

• There shall be no statements promoting the physical harm of another person or group of people

• There shall be no statements that imply one group of people is superior to another based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. The discomfort of students, teachers, and/or parents with the topic is not a legitimate reason to cancel the Forum. The event is intended primarily for the educational benefit and instruction of the students, rather than being oriented towards the adults in the community. The school community will be informed of the Forum topic two to three days before the event. If anyone feels uncomfortable, they may choose not to attend. The Forum participants may showcase perspectives that do not necessarily reflect their beliefs, but all perspectives will be represented as equally as possible. After the end of the Forum, speakers will meet with judges for a private discussion where judges can give feedback and ask questions about each of the arguments. All community members must remain respectful of the speakers and the topic before, during, and after the Forum takes place.

With the ever-worsening political climate in the United States, it is imperative that AC prepare its students to encounter many different opinions and beliefs. Additionally, AC must ensure that its students know how to respectfully respond to the opinions of others. The Forum is one of the most beneficial AC traditions that should continue to live on under its legacy of stimulating intellectual growth and modeling civil discourse.