To the Editor:? Many students during their time at Andover will have the opportunity and challenge to present something to an audience. Such occasions are always multidimensional and sometimes fraught with dilemmas of what to leave in, what to leave out, how to engage and how to convey one’s core message(s) in a clear and resonant manner. If you are among those who have ever had to prepare and deliver a presentation, you know well what that challenge is like. One of the most unfortunate things that can happen to a presenter is that her or his core message is inadvertently challenged or even eclipsed by remarks and/or actions that are actually peripheral or even irrelevant to the essential content. As questions and dialogue about last week’s ASM featuring Kip Fulbeck continue within our community, it is perhaps instructive to recognize that the unfortunate phenomenon of message distortion occurred. An essentially positive and inspiring message about truth to self and the right to self-definition and –expression was obscured (and, in the views of some, negated) by the regrettable characterization of the speaker’s personal political views and the use of off-color language. In this there are both individual and community lessons. Each of us as practicing or potential presenters has been provided a bit of a cautionary episode. As a community, especially those of us who arranged for Mr. Fulbeck’s appearance, we were caught off guard. That aspect of the experience has already been transformed into corrective action in the form of a list of “Please dos & Please don’ts” that will be shared with all guest speakers going forward. We learned also through this experience what we should be comforted to know about our community. We are an imperfect little village in an imperfect world, and when things go awry, we can and will hold ourselves accountable with candor, but also with compassion. And we make corrective adjustments as we go. Carlos Hoyt, All-School Meeting ?Coordinator Linda Griffith, Dean of CAMD Aya Murata, Advisor to Asian & Asian American Students
