PHILOSOPHY of EDUCATION SOCIETY
2007 Resolutions
The Resolutions Committee Members are: Ann Diller (chair), Dwight Boyd, Susan Douglas Franzosa, and Jim Garrison. We present the following document, liberally borrowing phrases from the 2000 and 2006 Resolutions Committees.
Whereas the clarity of Tom Green’s VOICES now only exist in the community of which he was a member, and whereas this community now is a repository of the consciences of craft, memory, membership, imagination, and sacrifice in which he spoke to us for so long, and whereas his voice is now in the keeping of our conscience and the craft with which we honor it, BE IT RESOLVED that the memory of TOM GREEN be honored in the work that we do, the joy with which we do it, and the wonder with which we approach the world.
Whereas Supreme commander, general of almost everything, Sasha Sidorkin seems to be electronically prodding us at every opportunity, and amassing (so the rumor goes) a small, hidden fortune from those easily swayed and innocent souls who respond by paying their dues—the PES expresses its adoration and deep appreciation for all his pragmatic efforts on our collective behalves . . . and respectively beseech him to consider, at the end of his official tenure next year, to anoint himself EXECUTIVE COMMISSAR FOR LIFE.
Whereas the usual format of the PES conference is dull, stodgy, traditional, hidebound, rambling, and sleep-inducing, this year the program committee, under the direction of our Madam President Susan Laird, has undertaken a massive revision, incorporating informal mentoring sessions, an embedded conference (beds? Oh dear), fireside chats, book sessions, and alternative sessions at hazing-like times in morning and evening and otherwise shaken up our usual philosophical complacency by messing with our body clocks we salute you.
We salute, as well, the wonderful synergy of the program committee, chaired by the very intimidating and intellectually incisive Barbara Stengel, their clear intention to reprogram old ways of thinking by introducing cutting-edge theory and whose intention to keep challenging upstart facile new theories by introducing the integrity of the tried and true, academically rigorous philosophy, has given us new ways to work together and to disagree productively. In short, it was great.
Whereas our energetic and supremely efficient Program Chair has on multiple past PES occasions, evinced a sense of humor that matches that of Andrew Dice Clay (or Ellen Degeneres, if one prefers), the PES expresses deep gratitude to Barbara Stengel for maintaining her sense of humor in the face of the monumental task of herding philosopher cats (they have fur in their souls…) at her disposal, shaping a program that is richer than Fort Knox (or triple cream chocolate cake). We also seriously hope that the experience has not diminished her capacity to laugh at us, but really worry about who is going to be writing captions for all those pictures she has been taking at the receptions.
In addition, we salute the collaborative effort between the dynamic duo of our president and program chair, whose unique ability to pitch and catch, to pass and receive, to reap and sow, have given us all a model for engagement, self/other, postdualist action, etc.
Special props to scholars from further abroad than our usual Canadian and United Statesian circuits of transnationality—in recognition of the effort and commitment evinced by scholars from Japan, England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and any country we’ve missed
Whereas, Deron Boyles has chosen as his object of study the world of business and was trapped into engaging in the thankless task of persisting in Superman-like negotiations with the kryptonite of corporate hotels we applaud his intelligence, fortitude, resilience and, amid stress, faultless manners. In addition, we express utter gratitude for the Southern hospitality of our hospitality committee, whose ability to help us experience the Athena grace of this lovely Athens of the South, this newest newness of the New South rooted in work against racism via peaceful demonstration, the charm, the delight, the place of civil rights, thanks to Deron Boyles and Barbara Thayer-Bacon, those progeny of the south-ish, sort of.
Whereas the service industry continues to be our major growth industry in the U.S. and whereas without towels, cleanliness, linens, and the courtesy afforded all of us by all the workers at the hotel, we send our acknowledgement, appreciation, and tips to those who clean up after us and provide for our comfort.
Whereas Susan Birden undertook the monumental effort to bring in Jane Roland Martin for what can only go down in PES lore as JRMfest, and encountered the wrath of Mother Nature who was clearly gunning for someone else, our appreciation of her holding steady, as Jane, in true philosophical tradition, re-enacted the Odyssey, via Amtrak. (The story is much longer and somewhat like Passover involves quite a few “if x, it would have been sufficient, but y…”), we thank you.
And finally, with no more importance than all the other acknowledgments but with a clear understanding of the energy, insight, and girl-care that went into this conference and reign, we thank our esteemed president, Susan Laird. From her initial bout of bossiness at Puerto Vallarta to her occasional recognition of feminist process, we thank her for her efforts against the tyranny of structurelessness. She has given us a conference of food and food for thought, a concern for bodies and a recognition of the body of feminist work, she has nourished us, chastised us, and reoriented ourselves to our embodiment (does this philosophy make my hips look big?).
Whereas Ann Diller, chair of the resolutions committee is afflicted with sloth and torpor, and official Dwight Boyd the Canadian member, was off drinking martinis eh? And when he wasn’t he just kept arguing for a resolution for his reinventing Harvey Siegel and Official member Susan Franzosa added proper feminist perspective and improper feminist modesty and official member Jim Garrison’s harmonizing efforts consisted simply of buying us drinks and insisting we invoke spell check repeatedly, and whereas this committee had to second four ad hoc members John Covaleskie, Barbara Houston, Chris Mayo (and A. G. Rud, owner of Sunday morning copy editing services) to even function (and Barbara Houston can’t type to save her life), and Whereas the job eventually got done, eloquently and brilliantly through the genius of Cris Mayo be it resolved that she be given applause and gratitude along with the rest of us!
PAX
CONTACT: PES Executive Director Jeff Milligan
850-644-8171; milligan@coe.fsu.edu