Constitution Wrangler Meg Mott will lead a three-part series on the contentious issue of school vouchers at Brooks Memorial Library. Following a 2021 Supreme Court decision, Vermont may no longer exclude religious schools from the voucher program. Some argue that this program will legitimize religious beliefs that discriminate against sexual minorities. Others argue that if parents can send their kids to private schools, why shouldn't they be able to send their kids to parochial schools? Under the laws of polarization, those two positions are mutually exclusive. But under the pleasures of complex understanding, there are myriad arguments to explore.

September 6: What the Court Said: The Supreme Court case that forced Vermont's hand is Carson v. Makin. Besides considering the arguments of the Court and the dissent, we'll look at the practical implications of this decision and how activists on both sides are using it to increase polarization.

September 13: What We Could Say: Makin maps out the tension between religious liberties and non-discrimination, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. We will explore a rhetorical ecosystem using the ideals of progressives, libertarians, and conservatives to consider both points of view. What would a conservative argument against the voucher program sound like? What about a progressive argument for the voucher program.

September 20: What We Need to Say: In this final class, we'll consider productive reframes to decrease polarization. What sort of language might convince progressives that school choice is in their best interests? What sort of language might convince conservatives that non-discrimination concerns are important to their cause? If persuasion is more pleasurable than polarization, maybe we can kick this self-destructive habit!

The program is free and open to the public. The venue is accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Event Info

Sep 24, 2024, 3:45 to 4:45 PM

Sep 25, 2024

Sep 26, 2024