The Conference on Civic Engagement, launched in 2016, is a school-wide learning experience that explores the capacity of individuals to work within complex political systems to impact positive change. During this year’s conference, students in Grades 8-12 learned about affirmative action in college admissions from four panelists–a journalist, a law professor, a college admissions dean, and a social scientist. Together, they dove into the historical, legal, and sociological landscape surrounding the Supreme Court’s recent landmark decision. Chair of the History Department and teacher Felicia Kang moderated the discussion. Fifty-two different afternoon workshops—moderated by Upper School and Grade 8 students, faculty, and staff—followed the panel.

 

To begin the day, Head of School Felicia Wilks offered students this framework: “One of the most powerful learning experiences is when you think you know something for certain and then you hear something that shifts your understanding. Seek those moments out today, especially regarding the ideas that challenge your ways of thinking. That’s the space in which you learn the most about the world, others, and yourself.”

Emmeline J. ’27, Siri Z. ’27, and Olivia L. ’27, three sophomore members of the Equity Council, presented a skit that set the stage for the forthcoming panel. They discussed infractions such as intellectual property infringement, distilling complex legal concepts into simpler language. They also briefly explained why practicing civil discourse is important, how the US court systems work, what affirmative action is, and if it is legal in the US today. 

 

The panelists who were led by History Department Chair and teacher Felicia Kang included: Renu Mukherjee, a Fellow at the Manhattan Institute; Noah A. Rosenblum, an Associate Professor of Law at New York University School of Law and faculty director of the Vanderbilt Scholars Program and Katzmann Symposium; Mene Ukueberuwa, a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board; and Peaches Valdes, the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Wellesley College.

 

In contextualizing the 2023 Supreme Court decision—Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNCs—Mr. Rosenblum shared: “Understand the decision not as an end point of the transaction but as an ongoing way we think about different areas of law.” Fellow panelists offered their perspectives, as the conversation took varying turns to examine equality vs. equity, the evolution of the legal landscape and institutions’ interpretation of the law, and how the Supreme Court has shifted in response to the socio-political environment. Following the panel conclusion, students asked questions that reflected their nuanced understanding of the history and future of affirmative action in the United States legal system. One student asked: “Looking at the data, how successful has affirmative action been for minorities, and are there other ways outside of the college admissions process to achieve the originally intended outcome of affirmative action?” This question, among many others, impressed the panelists, who readily engaged with the curiosity exhibited by Spence students.

 

Later that day, students, faculty, and staff led workshops such as Environmental Justice and the Court System; Interviewing for the Courtroom: How to Ask the Right Questions and Actually Listen to the Answers; and Supreme Court on Modern Tech: Is a Phone a House in Legalise? Students finished the day filled with new information and perspectives to contemplate and weave into their future studies.

In 2022, the Upper School Equity Council, in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Equity and Head of School, created Talk it Out: Civil Discourse at Spence. The guidelines offer a framework for creating meaningful dialogue around complex issues, such as those explored during the Conference on Civic Engagement. Read the full statement on civil discourse here.