"Building a Sane Society and Transforming Psychology and Mental Health-Care"

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Strengthening the connections between education and democracy

August 29, 2004

Aloha Everyone:

I was interested in the numerous comments made by Dean Hitz and other speakers at the recent college-wide meeting that emphasized the importance of directing our attention to increasing the linkages between education and democracy.  As several of the speakers noted, promoting democracy through education is a vital responsibility that faculty members in colleges of education are well-positioned to support in their work.

Our nation currently faces many difficulties.  The magnitude of these difficulties call upon all of us to promote the democratic principles that make this country great.  Each of us can do this by exercising our right for free speech (especially in initiating discussions about controversial issue and challenges our nation faces) and taking responsible action in helping to build a more just, equitable, and peaceful world.  Some persons in the COE have and continue to take time to stimulate discussions about important political-social issues that are occurring at the present time among their colleagues and students and, in doing so, demonstrate positive approaches in building constructive linkages between education and democracy. 

Over the past 2 years, I have worked with several other faculty members and students in organizing a series of brown bag discussion groups that focus on the War in Iraq, the implications of this war for our nation’s moral health and public school education, and the need to constructively deal with the complex problems of violence in Hawaii.  Given the interest in these discussion groups (we have had an average of 33 persons attending each of the 4 meetings organized in the past), I plan to continue them as a way to support the linkage between education and democracy in the coming academic year.

I am also working with several other faculty members in planning times when we can register voters at the COE and the main campus.  The deadline for registering for this year’s presidential election is October 4th.  You will be hearing more about the specific days and times of our registration efforts soon.  We hope you will encourage any faculty member, support staff, administrator, and/or student who is not registered to take advantage of this community service project when it happens.  You may also be interested in knowing that Hawaii ranks near the bottom of registered voters in our country with only 43% of eligible voters currently registered.

The November Presidential election will have profound implications for the future of our nation.  Regardless of who you might support in this year’s election, please take time to vote and encourage others to do so as we all continue to promote this basic democratic right and responsibility.

Have a great semester!

In the continuing struggle for justice and peace,

Michael D’Andrea

Professor and

President of the

Hawaii Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (HMCDA)

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