Social Issues (Wilson High School Syllabus, 2013)

Social Issues (Peace Studies)

Wilson High School

(Barbara Lee High School)

1st & 2nd Advisory 2013

Teacher: Colman McCarthy

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Whether through our own personal experiences or through what we hear about or read, everyone is involved with making choices that increase or decrease peace in our lives and the lives of others--whether those lives are across the living room or across the oceans. This course is a modest effort to examine some of the current social issues that involve us either personally or politically. We’ll look at war and peace, health care, nonviolent conflict resolution, racism, sexism, speciesism, capital punishment, prisons, school reform, protecting the environment--those social issues and others.

The course is discussion-based. Debate and dissent are welcomed. One skeptic enlivens the class more than a dozen passive agreers. Let’s be good listeners. Listening to others is an act of caring. Even if we don’t see eye to eye with someone we can always talk heart to heart.

COURSE TEXT

Solutions to Violence is a 16 chapter book with more than 80 essays on current social issues. The book is published by the Center for Teaching Peace.

WRITING REQUIREMENTS

Papers will be assigned periodically. Papers that are exceptionally well-written, creative and unique earn As. Papers that are above average and have occasional flashes of creativity earn Bs. Papers that show only an ordinary command of language and aren’t especially noteworthy in either style of intelligence, earn Cs. Papers that are dull, plodding and cause the teacher to fall asleep earn a D—or F, depending how long the sleep lasts.

The papers should be typed or computer printed. Grade deduction for late papers.

The advisory grade is based mostly on the papers. Intelligent or relevant comments in class also matter. The best ways to earn a low grade include sleeping in class or appear to be sleeping, playing with phones or other devices, carrying on conversations, doodling.

Mothers and fathers, or any other relatives, are welcomed to come to class anytime, whether to illuminate, speculate, agitate, cogitate but hopefully not to vegetate.