Politics is dirty but may be the only way to preserve the academic freedom that the intolerant are chipping away while the tolerant sitting in their ivory towers hope they'd be persuaded to stop.
Additionally, though, I agree that a chasm exists and compromise is necessary to solve problems and accomplish goals. My entire childhood family experience can be described a bit like how you describe the socio political polarization.
My interpretation of the Florida charter school story is that the students see that sculpture every year, but need a parental field trip pass with information about what they are going to see. Some parents may not think their kids are mature enough but others will; that's a form of freedom, too.
That new principal failed to provide parents with the option to know what to expect and opt in or out. People get fired for all sorts of dumb things, quite frankly. The media, expert at stirring the pot, misled people on this one with the article titles.
Additionally, though, I agree that a chasm exists and compromise is necessary to solve problems and accomplish goals. My entire childhood family experience can be described a bit like how you describe the socio political polarization.
My interpretation of the Florida charter school story is that the students see that sculpture every year, but need a parental field trip pass with information about what they are going to see. Some parents may not think their kids are mature enough but others will; that's a form of freedom, too.
That new principal failed to provide parents with the option to know what to expect and opt in or out. People get fired for all sorts of dumb things, quite frankly. The media, expert at stirring the pot, misled people on this one with the article titles.