December 12, 1988 - Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers, speaking at the Itasca Seminar. The theme of seminar was "Balancing Educational Excellence and Equity in the Public Schools". Shanker stated educators face a daunting challenge, but a challenge that can be met if we looked at the system in new and creative ways. He also shared his view that U.S. schools are turning out 80 percent lemons - students who can't handle routine tasks. He suggested treating schools less like factories that churn out students on an assembly line and more like an office where co-workers cooperate on achievement. Itasca Seminar is a summit for Twin Cities political and business leaders.
December 28, 1988 - David Brower, environmentalist and founder of Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth, speaks at Carlton College in Northfield, Minnesota as part of the Carleton Lecture series. Brower addressed restoration of earth’s resources. Brower also answers listener questions during break in speech.
December 30, 1988 - Wes Jackson, co-director of The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas, speaking at Mankato State University. Jackson’s address was on the topic “The Problem of Agriculture vs Problems in Agriculture: Life in a Fallen World.” Jackson is author of "New Roots for Agriculture" and editor of "Man and the Environment" and "Meeting the Expectations of the Land". In his writing, Jackson has called for "an agriculture that will not destroy human or biological communities, that will minimize soil erosion and reliance on chemicals and fossil fuels, that will preserve the information contained in the genetic codes of plants and animals now threatened with extinction."
January 19, 1989 - Nicholas Johnson, one-time member of the Federal Communications Commission, speaks at Carlton College in Northfield, Minnesota as part of the Carleton Lecture series. Johnson’s address was on the topic "Who Controls the Media: The Politics of Broadcasting." He traces some of the history of telecommunications and talks about how putting existing technologies together as an important part of change.
January 23, 1989 - Barry Commoner, author and scientist, speaking at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Commoner addresses the topic "Development of Health for All: The Environment."
January 26, 1989 - Seymour Fliegel, New York deputy superintendent of schools in New York's District 4 – Manhattan, speaking at the Itasca Seminar. The seminar’s theme was "Our Public Schools: Balancing Educational Excellence and Equity." After speech, Fliegel answers audience questions. Fliegel is an acknowledged authority on schools of choice for public education and credited with developing a system of alternative schools in District 4 that has vastly improved the accomplishments of the children of East Harlem.
January 27, 1989 - Steve Emerson, author and senior editor for U.S. News and World Report, speaks at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota as part of Carleton Lecture series. Emerson’s address is titled "Reporting vs. Reality: How the News Gets Filtered." After speech, Emerson answered audience questions, including patterns of evening news, broadcasting standards, lack of certain press coverage, and press manipulation by terrorists.
January 30, 1989 - Patricia Schroeder, a Colorado congresswoman, speaks at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota as part of Carleton Lecture series. Schroeder addressed the need for reducing the deficit, spending more of our money on education, day care, and health coverage…and less on military projects. After speech, Loeb answered audience questions, including voter turnout being low because of registering difficulty, the last presidential election, legalizing drugs, Roe vs. Wade, Jack Kemp, and reelection of congressional incumbents.
February 8, 1989 - Paul Loeb, author and reporter, speaking at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. In his address, Loeb describes the split he sees in American culture - those who on one hand have what he calls compassion towards social causes but who continue to elect what he sees as regressive leaders. Loeb says the split in our culture is due in part to the manipulation of the media by public figures and the confusion among Americans on a range of issues. After speech, Loeb answered audience questions, including studies available, allocating volunteer time, and the use of media by public figures. Loeb's first books are titled, "Nuclear Culture: Living and Working in the World's Largest Nuclear Complex” and "Hope in Hard Times: America's Peace Movement in the Reagan Era."
February 13, 1989 - Bill Frenzel, Third District Republican congressman and the ranking minority member of the House Budget Committee, speaking to meeting of the Minnesota International Center. Frenzel’s address was the topic "The Foreign Policy of the New Administration," which included talk on trade matters. Speech included After speech, Frenzel answered audience questions. Frenzel is considered an expert on trade matters and has been Congress' representative to the current round of talks on GATT, the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs.