Afternoon meeting with Mayor Menino this afternoon, as led by the Youth Community Organizers (YCOs) from the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF). Continued process of outreach to local political figures and decision makers as detailed within their scope of the Campaign for Civics work that began a few years ago, and which I joined this year as one of the lead curriculum writers.
A surprising number of anterooms and chambers leading into the mayor’s office, ultimately leading to a fairly large room with his main desk (with a picture of President Truman behind it), sofas for sitting areas, and a large conference table. Plenty of other shelves around with various mementos and gifts accumulated over the years. The city’s longest serving mayor in its entire history– quite something.
Impressions? There’s that balance of humility and bravado needed in meetings like this, I’ve found… so that you make yourself in a position to laugh and be disarmed, but to also just as quickly come back with some kind of rejoinder, anecdote or carefully worded idea. The stuff of politics, perhaps– and the youth? Came in prepared with the nice agenda and the division of talking points, and some were spot on, but others were quickly derailed with Mayor Menino’s brand of humor and, should I say, attempts at relationship building? (One poor young man, apparently scarred by the experience, saying it ‘was his first time’ and he’d never do THAT again…. oh, I think we can convince him to do so).
Still, there is the central appeal of a curriculum that as I see it, can be positioned as one that is responsive to the needs and interests of both students and the community, and one that can be aligned with the larger goals of an applicable history and civics education– this can and should be emphasized.
Next steps? Will be important to identify the leadership and the next phase of the work… still, it’s satisfying to be part of the group that created that rather thick curriculum text to hand off, in symbolic form, to the city’s chief executive.
Campaign for Civics meeting with Mayor Menino and Hyde Square Task Force
Talking Civics with the Mayor
Afternoon meeting with Mayor Menino this afternoon, as led by the Youth Community Organizers (YCOs) from the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF). Continued process of outreach to local political figures and decision makers as detailed within their scope of the Campaign for Civics work that began a few years ago, and which I joined this year as one of the lead curriculum writers.
A surprising number of anterooms and chambers leading into the mayor’s office, ultimately leading to a fairly large room with his main desk (with a picture of President Truman behind it), sofas for sitting areas, and a large conference table. Plenty of other shelves around with various mementos and gifts accumulated over the years. The city’s longest serving mayor in its entire history– quite something.
Impressions? There’s that balance of humility and bravado needed in meetings like this, I’ve found… so that you make yourself in a position to laugh and be disarmed, but to also just as quickly come back with some kind of rejoinder, anecdote or carefully worded idea. The stuff of politics, perhaps– and the youth? Came in prepared with the nice agenda and the division of talking points, and some were spot on, but others were quickly derailed with Mayor Menino’s brand of humor and, should I say, attempts at relationship building? (One poor young man, apparently scarred by the experience, saying it ‘was his first time’ and he’d never do THAT again…. oh, I think we can convince him to do so).
Still, there is the central appeal of a curriculum that as I see it, can be positioned as one that is responsive to the needs and interests of both students and the community, and one that can be aligned with the larger goals of an applicable history and civics education– this can and should be emphasized.
Next steps? Will be important to identify the leadership and the next phase of the work… still, it’s satisfying to be part of the group that created that rather thick curriculum text to hand off, in symbolic form, to the city’s chief executive.
Campaign for Civics meeting with Mayor Menino and Hyde Square Task Force