June 13: Danielle Allen ’93 Is Rebooting Civics Education

Danielle Allen ’93 sits between Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 and Eric Foner of Columbia University, during “The Princeton and Slavery Project: How It Changes Our Understanding of American History and Poses a Challenge to Historical Commemoration,” in 2017.

Princeton University, Office of Communications, Denise Applewhite

By Elisabeth H. Daugherty

Published June 13, 2023

3 min read

Noting how smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed New York state last week, GreenFaith executive director Fletcher Harper ’85 wrote “people of faith need to speak up” about climate change. — Sojourners

As the Supreme Court is expected to rule on affirmative action in higher education, Harvard law professor Randall Kennedy ’77 detailed the long history of efforts to stop Black people from getting ahead. “A baleful echo haunts this ongoing debate,” he wrote. — The New York Times

Former senator and NBA player Bill Bradley ’65 has turned his autobiographical one-man show, Rolling Along, into a film that will premiere June 16 at the Tribeca Festival. — NJ Arts

Circuit Judge Denny Chin ’75 suggested the plaintiffs in a 2020 Connecticut lawsuit over transgender women in sports no longer have the grounds for the lawsuit because they are no longer student athletes. — Reuters

Carla Vernón ’92 talked about her path to becoming CEO of The Honest Company, building an inclusive culture, and how young Black people can position themselves to get ahead. — Ebony

Speaking at the Detroit Historical Museum in his hometown, the Rev. Michael Eric Dyson *93, a Vanderbilt professor, criticized companies that market menthol cigarettes to young people. — The Detroit News

As he runs for president in 2024, Cornel West *80’s “intellect, and his bluntness, will make him a significant figure” and shake up the race, wrote national affairs correspondent John Nichols. — The Nation

Never Fade Away, a short film written, produced, and directed by pianist Donna Weng Friedman ’80 about her father, who emigrated from China in the 1940s, was shown at the Museum of Chinese in America yesterday. — Broadway World

A review concludes that Branden Jacobs-Jenkins ’06’s “haunting” new play, The Comeuppance, “updates the reunion genre with too much jungle juice and an otherworldly visitor”: Death. — The New York Times

“The only way to reboot civic learning is if we adults can name and shake our addiction: It’s hate, rage and division. Our addiction is one reason why the kids are tuning us out. If we want them to learn, we’ve got to quit fighting so much. We’ve got to create some common ground.”

— Harvard professor Danielle Allen ’93, who has been working on a new civics curriculum meant to bridge the country’s polarization, called the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. — The Washington Post

Attackman Alex Slusher ’23 and goalie Griffen Rakower ’23 will play lacrosse for Duke next year as grad transfers. — Inside Lacrosse

Democratic pollster Mark Mellman ’78, said Americans see both political parties as equally accepting of extremists, and that means Democrats aren’t cognizant of their own “brand weaknesses.” — The Hill

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher ’06 (R-Wisconsin) said he’ll run for re-election in 2024 instead of taking on current Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin. — WBAY

Of the Supreme Court justices, only Samuel Alito ’72 and Clarence Thomas did not release financial disclosures as expected last week. — ABC News

Sarah Cravens ’98, who earned her law degree at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, is now returning as a visiting professor. — The Columns: W&L